Brain tumour as a predisposing factor to head trauma: a review of two cases diagnosed by computed tomography

Brain tumours and head trauma are two pathological entities that may involve the central nervous system to produce similar clinical neurologic signs and symptoms. There has been a long-term debate in the literature on association between these two clinical conditions following observations over time of development of intracranial tumours in individuals who previously sustained head injury. In this teaching centre, there were in succession, two cases of head injury which, at brain CT scanning, turned out to be brain tumours. These findings stimulated the need to review the literature.

To examine the literature for evidence of the role of brain tumour as a factor in development of falls and subsequent head injury and thus raise awareness of their association.

Related literature materials on brain tumours and head injury were reviewed.

Some reports in the medical literature established only weak evidence in support of head injury as an aetiologic agent for brain tumour occurrence; others found no association between them. CT and MRI are useful investigative modalities.

Head trauma may only have caused small and preexisting quiescent tumour to grow as a result of predisposition to fall by musculoskeletal incoordination caused by the tumour itself.