To report a rare case of femoral metastasis arising from HNSCC and to systematically review the existing literature on previously reported cases.
Approach:
Literature Review: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, the British Medical Journal, and Google Scholar was conducted to identify English-language case reports of histologically confirmed HNSCC with femoral metastasis.
Key Findings:
Femoral metastasis from HNSCC is exceptionally rare, with only six cases identified, including the current case.
The mean age at diagnosis was 57 years, with a male predominance (66.7%).
The tongue was the most common primary tumor site (66.7%), and smoking was the most frequently reported risk factor.
Time to femoral metastasis ranged from six months to 19 years, with most cases demonstrating early recurrence and advanced disease with nodal involvement or additional distant metastases.
Management was predominantly palliative, including radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, and orthopedic stabilization for impending or pathological fracture.
Interpretation:
Femoral metastasis from HNSCC represents an advanced and uncommon disease manifestation.
Limitations:
The study is based on a small number of cases, limiting the generalizability of findings.
The retrospective nature of case reports may introduce bias in data collection and interpretation.
Conclusion:
Early recognition of femoral metastasis is essential for timely intervention.
