Investigating the causes of vertigo in breast cancer survivors

The vertigo symptom in breast cancer survivors has rarely been mentioned. The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of vertigo in breast cancer survivors with vertigo. From May 1997 to April 2003, 36 consecutive female breast cancer survivors with vertigo underwent a battery of tests including physical examination, neurological examination, serum lipid profile, plain chest radiograph, whole body bone scan, liver sonography, audiometry, electronystagmography (ENG) and MRI scan. Based on these tests, the causes of vertigo were attributed to peripheral labyrinthine origin in 14 patients (39%) and central origin in 22 patients (61%) consisting of 11 cases of vascular insufficiency, eight of hyperlipidemia and three of posterior fossa metastases (8%). The latter included one case of cerebellopontine angle and two of cerebellum, accompanied by extracranial systemic metastases, e.g., of the lung, bone or liver. In conclusion, vertigo in breast cancer survivors warrants concern, especially in those with extra-cranial systemic metastasis accompanied by headache. In addition to 8% occurrence of posterior fossa metastasis, other possible causes for vertigo in breast cancer survivors consist of vascular insufficiency, hyperlipidemia and labyrinthine lesion.