scholarly journals Facial nerve palsy as the first sign of late breast cancer metastasis to the temporal bone

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-40
Author(s):  
Zoran Dudvarski ◽  
Nenad Arsovic ◽  
Milovan Dimitrijevic ◽  
Sasa Jakovljevic ◽  
Novica Boricic ◽  
...  

Introduction. Late metastases of malignant tumors in the temporal bone are very rare lesions. They can be asymptomatic for a long time, and usually manifest themselves in the form of hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, and paralysis of the facial nerve. Modern radiological diagnostics and explorative surgery with biopsy are essential for diagnosis. Case report. We present a rare and unusual case of a 66-year-old female patient with a facial nerve paralysis that appeared as the first sign of metastatic breast cancer in the temporal bone 10 years after treatment. A sudden hearing loss and dizziness occurred six months later and value of CA 15-3 was elevated. Scintigraphy pointed to susceptible metastatic deposits of the axial skeleton, without lesions in the temporal bone. Finally, repeated computerized tomography revealed osteolytic changes of the temporal bone six months after that. Immunohistochemical analysis of mastoid tissue samples confirmed that it was a breast cancer metastasis. One year after palliative radiotherapy and oral hormone therapy, a patient has a good general condition with better function of the facial nerve. Conclusion. A high degree of clinical suspicion sometimes requires repeated radiological diagnostics in order to detect osteolytic metastatic changes in the temporal bone, but also in other bone structures within the hematogenous dissemination of the malignant disease.

2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 685-688
Author(s):  
Miljan Folic ◽  
Dragoslava Djeric

Introduction. Facial nerve paralysis originates from various factors, although in most cases etiology is idiopathic. Temporal bone metastases are quite rare, but should still be suspected in cases when congenital disorders, inflammatory disease, infection or trauma are excluded as cause of facial palsy. We present an unusual case of facial nerve paralysis as the initial sign of temporal bone metastasis of breast carcinoma and discuss diagnostic pitfalls. Case outline. A 70-year-old patient presented with facial nerve palsy, severe otalgia, hearing loss and vertigo. Patient underwent steroid treatment 6 months earlier due to peripheral facial palsy with complete neurological resolution. CT scan revealed osteolytic lesion of the right temporal bone with extension into the parietal bone and soft-tissue. Additional examination confirmed ductal breast carcinoma and osteolysis of the ribs and vertebrae. After four months, the patient with metastatic breast carcinoma to the temporal bone died despite chemotherapy. Conclusion. Temporal bone metastasis of breast cancer is very rare condition with poor prognosis. Late diagnosis and inadequate management of breast cancer are factors that contribute to the temporal bone metastasis formation. Temporal bone metastasis should be excluded in elderly patients, both with and without any history of malignancy, especially in cases of peripheral facial palsy refractory to treatment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (10) ◽  
pp. 885-890
Author(s):  
L Zhao ◽  
J Li ◽  
S Gong

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic effect that the titanium partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis and autologous ossicles have on hearing loss after reconstruction of a damaged ossicular chain.MethodsForty-two medical records of treatments carried out from 2013 to 2015 for ossicular chain damage with facial nerve paralysis due to temporal bone fractures were reviewed. The study assessed: causes of damage, pre-operative pure tone audiometry findings, types of intra-operative ossicular chain damage, intra-operative ossicular chain repair methods (titanium partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis or autologous ossicles) and post-operative pure tone audiometry results.ResultsThe titanium partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis was used in 26 cases; the average air–bone gap was 32.3 ± 5.3 dB pre-operatively and 12.8 ± 5.3 dB post-operatively. Autologous ossicles were used in 16 cases; the average air–bone gap was 33.4 ± 4.5 dB pre-operatively and 17.8 ± 7.8 dB post-operatively.ConclusionOssicular chain reconstruction is an effective way of improving hearing in patients with ossicular chain damage. The results suggest that repair with either the titanium partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis or autologous ossicles can improve hearing following ossicular chain injury with facial nerve paralysis caused by a temporal bone fracture.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Fabisiewicz ◽  
Malgorzata Szostakowska-Rodzos ◽  
Anna J. Zaczek ◽  
Ewa A. Grzybowska

Breast cancer metastasis is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women and is difficult to combat due to the long periods in which disseminated cells retain a potential to be re-activated and start the relapse. Assessing the number and molecular profile of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in breast cancer patients, especially in early breast cancer, should help in identifying the possibility of relapse in time for therapeutic intervention to prevent or delay recurrence. While metastatic breast cancer is considered incurable, molecular analysis of CTCs still have a potential to define particular susceptibilities of the cells representing the current tumor burden, which may differ considerably from the cells of the primary tumor, and offer more tailored therapy to the patients. In this review we inspect the routes to metastasis and how they can be linked to specific features of CTCs, how CTC analysis may be used in therapy, and what is the current status of the research and efforts to include CTC analysis in clinical practice.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace L. Wong ◽  
Sara Abu Jalboush ◽  
Hui-Wen Lo

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy for women in which one in eight women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. Despite advances made in treating primary breast cancer, there is still no effective treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Consequently, metastatic breast cancer is responsible for 90% of breast cancer-related deaths while only accounting for approximately one third of all breast cancer cases. To help develop effective treatments for metastatic breast cancer, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which breast cancer metastasizes, particularly, those underlying organotropism towards brain, bone, and lungs. In this review, we will primarily focus on the roles that circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) play in organotropism of breast cancer metastasis. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that play critical roles in intercellular communication. MicroRNAs can be encapsulated in exosomes; cargo-loaded exosomes can be secreted by tumor cells into the tumor microenvironment to facilitate tumor–stroma interactions or released to circulation to prime distant organs for subsequent metastasis. Here, we will summarize our current knowledge on the biogenesis of exosomes and miRNAs, mechanisms of cargo sorting into exosomes, the exosomal miRNAs implicated in breast cancer metastasis, and therapeutic exosomal miRNAs.


Open Medicine ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-230
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Vlaški ◽  
Nada Vučković ◽  
Danijela Dragičević ◽  
Vladimir Kljajić ◽  
Slavica Seničar

Abstract


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Khemraj Singh Baghel ◽  
Smrati Bhadauria

Metastatic breast cancer is a stage of breast cancer wherever the disease has spread to distant parts of the body. Onset of metastasis is one of the biggest obstacles to the successful treatment of cancer. The potential of a tumor cell to metastasize profoundly depends on its microenvironment, or “niche” interactions with local components. Macrophages provide tropic support to tumors. Resident macrophages contribute a set of common functions, including their capability to defend against microbial infections, to maintain normal cell turnover and tissue remodelling, and to help repair sites of injury. Macrophages are recruited into the tumor microenvironment where they differentiate to become Tumor-associated-macrophages (TAMs). TAMs are the most abundant subpopulation of tumor-stroma and actively drive cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Cancer metastasis is not solely regulated by the deregulation of metastasis promoting or suppressing genes in cancer cells. Recently the interaction between the stromal cells and cancer cells has been demonstrated to promote cancer metastasis. TAMs can advocate epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cancer cells. Loss of e-cadherin, a major phenomenon of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), reduces adhesiveness and releases cancer cells to distant (secondary) sites. A positive correlation between tumor progression and the expression of matrix metallo proteinases (MMPs) in tumor tissues has been demonstrated in numerous human and animal studies. The dynamic interactions of cancer-cells with TAMs actively promote invasion-metastasis cascade through intercellular-signalling-networks that need better elucidation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna M. Sosnoski ◽  
Venkatesh Krishnan ◽  
William J. Kraemer ◽  
Courtenay Dunn-Lewis ◽  
Andrea M. Mastro

It is commonly accepted that cancer cells interact with host cells to create a microenvironment favoring malignant colonization. The complex bone microenvironment produces an ever changing array of cytokines and growth factors. In this study, we examined levels of MCP-1, IL-6, KC, MIP-2, VEGF, MIG, and eotaxin in femurs of athymic nude mice inoculated via intracardiac injection with MDA-MB-231GFPhuman metastatic breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231BRMS1GFP, a metastasis suppressed variant, or PBS. Animals were euthanized (day 3, 11, 19, 27 after injection) to examine femoral cytokine levels at various stages of cancer cell colonization. The epiphysis contained significantly more cytokines than the diaphysis except for MIG which was similar throughout the bone. Variation among femurs was evident within all groups. By day 27, MCP-1, MIG, VEGF and eotaxin levels were significantly greater in femurs of cancer cell-inoculated mice. These pro-osteoclastic and angiogenic cytokines may manipulate the bone microenvironment to enhance cancer cell colonization.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document