Cancer-associated stroke in a patient with testicular cancer - case report

Abstract

Introduction. Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare cerebrovascular disease that affects about 5 in 1 million people each year and accounts for 0.5% of all strokes. There is significant overlap of many risk factors for cerebral venous thrombosis and venous thromboembolism: cancer, obesity, genetic thrombophilia, trauma, infection, and prior neurosurgery. Testicular cancer is a malignant tumor found in testicular cells and it is generally called testicular germ cell tumor. This case report puts emphasis on the importance of recognizing cerebral venous thrombosis as one of the cancer-associated symptoms that can help set the appropriate diagnosis, which, however, is not very common for this type of disease. Case report. A 58-year-old patient has been examined many times due to recurrent strokes. Lumbar puncture, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, magnetic resonance venography, immunoserology and electroencephalography have been performed. Apart from the vascular changes in the brain blood vessels, the cause of the stroke was not clear. Further?more, the patient was examined by a hematologist and an urologist. Laboratory testing showed increased levels of alpha fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, however, no tumor was found in the suspected testis. Eventually, the patient underwent retroperitoneal lymph mass percutaneous core biopsy procedure and was diagnosed with non-seminoma germ cell tumor - Yolk sac tumor. Conclusion. Patients with cerebral venous thrombosis require multidisciplinary approach for the appropriate diagnosis.