Cerebral embolism in nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis associated with carcinoma. A clinico-pathological study

The clinical and pathological features of 24 patients with cerebral emboli complicating 66% of our cases of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) associated with carcinoma are reviewed. Twelve patients were admitted for a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) while 4 patients developed a CVA during hospitalization. Transient ischemic attacks preceded the CVA in 3 patients. More often the CVA took the form of a single sudden accident. Cerebral infarcts however were generally multiple and hemorrhagic and varied in size and age. In 4 patients large softenings were directly responsible for death. 8.6% of cerebral embolisms were caused by NBTE and in 10 patients cerebral embolization was the first symptom of a carcinoma. The frequency of NBTE in ovarian carcinoma even in the absence of metastases may motivate a more aggressive approach towards unexplained cerebral embolism.