Metastatic tumors of the jaws most often arise from which primary site?

Correct answer: B. Breast

• A. Gastric primaries metastasize to the jaws only rarely.
• B. Correct. In decreasing order of frequency, tumors metastasizing to the jaws arise from the BREAST > lung > kidney > colon > prostate (thyroid also features prominently). Breast is the single most common overall and by far the most common in women. Metastases favor the POSTERIOR MANDIBLE, where hematopoietic marrow persists, and typically appear as ill-defined 'moth-eaten' radiolucencies.
• C. Colon is on the list but sits below breast, lung and kidney in frequency.
• D. Prostate is a recognized source (and characteristically produces radiopaque/osteoblastic lesions), but it ranks below breast, lung and kidney.

Note: For the oral SOFT tissues the ranking differs — lung is the most common primary source there, while breast leads for the jawbones.