[Wallenberg's syndrome caused by a brain tumor--a case report and literature review]

we report a patient with Wallenberg's syndrome caused by glioma of the lateral medulla oblongata, and review the literature for Wallenberg's syndrome associated with neoplastic disease. A 46-year-old man was admitted because of progressive dysphagia and vertigo. Neurological examination revealed atypical symptoms and signs of Wallenberg's syndrome on the right side, hypalgesia on the second and third divisions of the left trigeminal nerve, paresis of the right palate and uvula, and ataxia of the right extremities. Although CT showed no abnormality in the posterior fossa, MRI demonstrated a mass with abnormal signal intensities in the right dorsolateral portion of the medulla. Biopsy specimens showed astrocytoma (grade III). Based on the present case and a review of 10 previously reported cases of Wallenberg's syndrome caused by neoplastic disease, the clinical features of this syndrome are characterized by gradual development and steady progression of symptoms, non-classical or atypical symptomatology, numerous additional symptoms and signs depending on the site and size of tumors, and poor prognosis.