Clinical manifestations and diagnostic approach to metastatic cancer of the condyle

Abstract

·············································································································································································Metastatic malignancy on the mandibular condyle is a very rare, but life-threatening condition that is frequently misdiagnosed as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and other dental diseases. The researchers report on a patient who was referred with an initial diagnosis of TMD, due to symptoms resembling TMD, such as limited mouth opening with pain on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and mandibular deviation during mouth opening. However, the final diagnosis was malignant condylar metastasis. The researchers reviewed available literature on malignant condylar metastatic cases focusing on initially misdiagnosed cases to find additional diagnostic information. The analysis revealed that some aspects of malignant condylar metastasis were overlooked, which frequently led to misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. Further understanding of condylar metastasis might lead to early detection of occult primary cancer, possibly preventing further metastasis.