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Published on: June 2, 2014
Headache in intracranial tumors
Z Pfund1, L Szapáry, O Jászberényi
1Department of Neurology, University Medical School of Pécs, Hungary.
Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
|December 14, 1999
Summary
Headache is a common symptom in brain tumor patients, often progressive and linked to edema. Tumor location influences headache occurrence, with infratentorial and intraventricular tumors more frequently causing headaches.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Oncology
Background:
- Headache is a prevalent symptom, but its specific association with brain tumors requires detailed investigation.
- Understanding the characteristics and predictors of headache in patients with intracranial neoplasms is crucial for early diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical data of brain tumor patients to determine the prevalence and characteristics of headaches.
- To investigate the relationship between headache symptoms and specific brain tumor types, locations, and associated factors like edema and intracranial pressure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 279 consecutive patients with brain tumors (1994-1995).
- Categorization of patients into headache and no-headache groups for comparative analysis.
- Evaluation of headache characteristics, tumor type, location, size, and presence of edema.
Main Results:
- 164 out of 279 patients experienced headaches, with a probable link to neoplasm in 139.
- Progressive headaches were observed in 67% of headache patients and correlated with edema, not tumor size.
- Infratentorial and intraventricular tumors were more associated with headache than supratentorial tumors, likely due to CSF circulation disturbance and increased intracranial pressure.
Conclusions:
- Headache is a significant symptom in a considerable proportion of brain tumor patients, often progressive and linked to edema.
- Tumor location, particularly infratentorial and intraventricular, plays a role in headache manifestation, suggesting a link to elevated intracranial pressure.
- While headache can be the first symptom, its characteristics (progressive, lasting hours, developing over weeks/months) and lateralization do not always correlate with tumor site.
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