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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
[Migraine recurrence due to intracranial metastasis of a thyroid carcinoma]
C J Schankin1, J Wagner, M Elstner
1Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum der Universität München-Grosshadern, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, München, Deutschland. christoph.schankin@med.uni-muenchen.de
We report a 57-year-old female with a history of migraine without aura in her early adulthood who complained about new migraine attacks after being free of them for 30 years. As a possible trigger, an intracranial metastasis of a thyroid cancer was found which also caused elevated serum prolactin. The mechanism of a para- or endocrinal effect of the tumour is discussed, showing the relevance of intracranial tumours as a human headache model. The recurrence of a primary headache syndrome after long latency should result in the exclusion of a pathological cause.
We report a 57-year-old female with a history of migraine without aura in her early adulthood who complained about new migraine attacks after being free of them for 30 years. As a possible trigger, an intracranial metastasis of a thyroid cancer was found which also caused elevated serum prolactin. The mechanism of a para- or endocrinal effect of the tumour is discussed, showing the relevance of intracranial tumours as a human headache model. The recurrence of a primary headache syndrome after long latency should result in the exclusion of a pathological cause.
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