Jaw Pain as a First Presentation in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

The oral cavity is uncommon site for metastatic disease usually discovered secondary to malignancy. We encountered with a rare case in which metastasis to mandibular bone was the first clinical sign in the diagnosis of breast cancer without any radiographic findings. A 49-yr-old premenopausal woman, was referred to the Department of Medical Oncology of Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran in 2014, presented with pain and tenderness in the left mandibular and temporal bone and paresthesia of the lower left lip and chin. CT scan of mandible showed no significant finding. Four months later, she was referred with complaints left breast pain for 4 wk and worsening swelling, pain and paresthesia. Breast examination revealed a 2 cm firm nodule on the left breast. Based on her medical history and histopathological study, metastatic carcinoma of the breast was suspected. She has received chemoradiotherapy that led to complete relief of her symptoms and remission of the disease. In the presence of an ambiguous sign in oral cavity such as jaw pain or paresthesia, diagnostic examination of malignancy is recommended.

Keywords:

Breast cancer , Jaw Pain , Mandibular Metastasis