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Article Details

Clinical Image

Volume 7, Issue 7

Acral Metastasis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Presentation

Rui Pedro Ribeiro1*, Ana Luísa Pinhal1 and Jorge Almeida1,2

1Internal Medicine Department, ULS São João, Porto, Portugal
2Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal

*Corresponding author: Rui Pedro Ribeiro, Internal Medicine Department, ULS São João, Porto, Portugal. E-mail: ruipcribeiro@gmail.com

Received: October 03, 2025; Accepted: October 16, 2025; Published: November 05, 2025

Citation: Ribeiro RP, Pinhal AL, Almeida J. Acral Metastasis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Presentation. Clin Image Case Rep J. 2025; 7(7): 578.

Acral Metastasis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Presentation
Abstract

A 72-year-old woman presented with a six-month history of skin and nail lesions. The patient had a medical history of oral basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (pT1N0MxR0), treated with surgery at diagnosis (ten years ago). Five years later, the patient had a recurrence with distant metastases (lymph node, lung, and liver), and then she was submitted to a new resection surgery, and chemo and radiotherapy. On physical examination there was oedema, erythema, discoloration, and stripping of the nail of the left ring finger. X-ray images of the left ring finger show complete resorption of the distal phalanx, an image that is suggestive of acral metastasis.

Acrocutaneous metastasis represent approximately 0.1% of all metastatic lesions to the skeleton. Metastases are more common in bones that are rich in red marrow; however, the bone of the hand is not rich in red marrow, which may explain the rarity of metastatic tumours in this part of the body [1]. Acrometastasis with head and neck primary tumour is an extremely rare situation with only a few cases reported [2].