A jaw lesion is found in the mandible. Where is this most likely to metastasize?

Correct answer: A. Lungs

• A. Oral/jaw malignancies (primarily squamous cell carcinoma and osteosarcoma) most commonly metastasize to the LUNGS. The lungs are the most common site of distant metastasis for head and neck cancers — the pulmonary capillary bed traps circulating tumor cells. Regional lymph nodes are the first site, but among distant organs, lungs are most common.
• B. Brain metastasis from oral cancers is less common than pulmonary.
• C. Kidney metastasis from jaw malignancies is uncommon.
• D. Liver is a common metastasis site for GI cancers (colon, pancreatic) — less common for jaw malignancies.