Stroke Caused by Lung Cancer Invading the Left Atrium

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Oncology

Background:

• Stroke presentation in a 59-year-old patient with left-sided weakness and speech disorder.
• Initial diagnosis focused on cerebral infarction in the middle and posterior cerebral artery territories.

Observation:

• Patient presented with a month of weakness and appetite loss.
• Chest imaging revealed a large right lung mass.
• Advanced lung cancer invading the left atrium was identified.

Findings:

• The patient experienced acute cerebral infarctions attributed to spontaneous tumor embolism.
• Stroke was the initial clinical manifestation of advanced lung cancer.

Implications:

• Spontaneous tumor embolism is a rare but critical cause of stroke in cancer patients.
• Stroke can be the first sign of advanced malignancy, necessitating thorough oncological investigation.