Intracranial tumors in patients with facial pain

Over the past 10 years, 2000 patients with facial pain have been evaluated at the Mayfield Neurologic Institute. Sixteen of these patients were found to harbor intracranial tumors. The presenting features of this group of patients are analyzed, and the literature reviewed. Peripherally placed tumors tend to cause atypical facial pain associated with sensory loss. Middle fossa tumors may present as trigeminal neuralgia, but usually cause severe pain of an atypical nature and a progressive neurological deficit. Posterior fossa tumors are most likely to cause trigeminal neuralgia; these neoplasms are usually accompanied by subtle neurological deficits and are readily detected by current diagnostic studies.