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Lymphomatous meningitis presenting as atypical cluster headache.
Lisa M DeAngelis1, Richard Payne
1Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Departments of Neurology and Pharmacology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021 U.S.A.
Pain
|August 1, 1987
Summary
Leptomeningeal lymphoma can manifest as atypical cluster headache. Complete trigeminal neuropathy from the lymphoma ultimately resolved the patient's pain, highlighting the trigeminal nerve's role.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Oncology
Background:
- Leptomeningeal lymphoma is a rare condition involving cancer spread to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
- Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder characterized by severe, unilateral pain.
Observation:
- A woman presented with atypical cluster headache as the initial symptom of trigeminal nerve dysfunction.
- The dysfunction was caused by leptomeningeal lymphoma.
Findings:
- The patient's cluster headache resolved as the lymphoma progressed, leading to a complete trigeminal neuropathy.
- This case suggests a complex relationship between trigeminal nerve function and cluster headache presentation.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering secondary causes, such as malignancy, in patients with atypical headache presentations.
- Understanding the trigeminal nerve's role in cluster headache may offer new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues.