Unusual presentation of a metastatic tumor to the temporal bone: severe otalgia and facial paralysis.

Abstract

Metastatic temporal bone tumors are rare diseases and they are usually clinically asymptomatic, so it is difficult to diagnose them. Breasts are the most common sites of temporal bone metastasis. Tumors of lung, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, prostate gland, larynx and thyroid gland are the other sites. The pathogenesis of the temporal bone is most commonly related to the hematogenous route. We present the case of a 78-year-old man with facial paralysis combined with severe otalgia. This patient was initially diagnosed with Bell's palsy. However, based on the radiologic findings, the patient was diagnosed with lung cancer with temporal bone metastasis.