Metastatic papillary endometrial carcinoma of the tongue. Case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

Tongue metastases are exceptional, with a frequency of 0.1% to 0.2% in autopsy series of patients with disseminated cancer. A case of secondary papillary endometrial carcinoma of the tongue is reported as the first sign of metastasis in a 78-year-old white woman treated 7 years before by complete hysterectomy and radiotherapy. The lesion presented as a 3 x 3-cm submucosal mass of the dorsum of the tongue. Fine-needle aspiration and excisional biopsy established the diagnosis. Metastases to the lungs, liver, and bone developed 3 months later, and she died 6.5 months after initial diagnosis. A review of reports of 77 lingual metastases showed that the mean age was 57 years, with a male predominance. The lung, kidney, and skin were the most common primary sites. The tongue was the first site of metastases in 61% and the first sign of the primary malignant neoplasm in 15% of the cases. Average survival was 10 months.