Subthalamic nucleus tumor causing hyperphagia--case report

Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 2003 Sep;43(9):457-60. doi: 10.2176/nmc.43.457.

Abstract

A 42-year-old woman with locally advanced breast cancer developed headache just after completing adjuvant chemotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass located in the left subthalamic nucleus (STN) and involving the posterior part of the thalamus and the hypothalamus. The patient refused a radiologically guided biopsy and gamma knife treatment was not financially possible. Palliative whole brain radiotherapy with hormonal therapy was administered. The patient gained 19 kg body weight during 4 months follow up because of hyperphagia. This solitary tumor, either a breast cancer metastasis or a primary tumor, involving the STN is extremely unusual.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / complications*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / secondary
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperphagia / etiology*
  • Hyperphagia / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / therapy
  • Subthalamic Nucleus / pathology*