Garcin syndrome caused by sphenoid bone metastasis of lung cancer: a case study

Garcin syndrome, which consists of unilateral palsies of almost all cranial nerves without either sensory or motor long-tract disturbances or intracranial hypertension, can be caused by malignant tumors at the skull base. The case of a patient with lung cancer that metastasized to the sphenoid bone and resulted in Garcin syndrome is presented.

A 76-year-old woman was diagnosed as having non-small cell lung cancer with pericardial and diaphragmatic infiltration, cT4N1M0, stage 3A. The left lower lobectomy with concomitant resection of the pericardium and diaphragm was performed. The pathological diagnosis was pleomorphic carcinoma, pT2bN0M0, stage 1B. She was then followed in the surgery clinic, and 2 months after surgery, she visited an emergency room complaining of headache and diplopia. Neurological examination showed the left IV, V1, and VI cranial nerve palsies. Metastatic tumor with bone destruction was found in the left sphenoid sinus on head computed tomography (CT) and contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and she was diagnosed with Garcin syndrome caused by sphenoid bone metastasis of lung cancer. Irradiation was performed as palliative treatment, but her neurological findings did not improve. Her general condition gradually worsened, and she died 5 months after surgery.

Bone metastasis of lung cancer occurs frequently, but sphenoid bone metastasis is extremely rare. In this case report, Garcin syndrome caused by lung cancer is discussed in the context of the few previous reports.