Abstract
Background. Lung cancer associated with gingival metastasis is very rare, and the prognosis of patients with gingival metastasis is very poor. This paper reports an autopsy case of solid adenocarcinoma with mucin of the lungs found based on the presence of gingival metastasis, with a review of the literature. Case. A 43-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to the presence of continuous swelling of the right gingiva following extraction of a right upper back tooth in March 2012. A biopsy specimen of the right gingiva was histologically diagnosed as undifferentiated carcinoma. Tumors were also found in the right lung. The right lung tumor was diagnosed as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma based on the pathological findings of a CT-guided lung biopsy. However, it was difficult to determine which site contained the primary lesion, the lungs or gingiva. Although the patient was treated with radiation to the right upper jaw and systemic chemotherapy, the lung tumor increased in size, and he died in November 2012. The autopsy findings revealed a diagnosis of primary lung cancer (poorly differentiated solid adenocarcinoma with mucin) with right upper gingival metastasis. Conclusions. The symptoms of gingival metastasis, including eating disorders and respiratory disturbances, worsen the patient's quality of life (QOL). It is important to provide an early diagnosis, active therapy and palliative care starting from an early stage.
