Metastasis of thyroid carcinoma to the mandible: Case Report

Metastatic tumours to the jaw bones are uncommon. The incidence of jaw bone metastasis is difficult to assess accurately since the usual method to determine the distribution of a metastatic tumour has been by a radiographic skeletal survey in which the jaws are rarely included. At times, metastatic lesions of the orofacial region may be the first evidence of dissemination of a known tumour from its primary site. A case of metastatic follicular carcinoma of the thyroid to the mandible is presented. The present case emphasizes the importance of considering metastasis in the differential diagnosis of a radiolucent lesion in the mandible in a patient with a history of any malignant disease.