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Multifocal strokes as the presentation of occult lung cancer

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Abstract

Cancer patients are hypercoagulable through a variety of mechanisms and are at significant risk for ischemic stroke. Though usually occurring in the later stages of neoplastic disease, stroke can rarely be the first manifestation of an occult malignancy. We report a 46-year-old woman who presented with multiple cerebral infarctions in numerous vascular distributions, refractory to anticoagulation, and associated with systemic thromboses. These atypical features prompted a malignancy evaluation which revealed an occult lung adenocarcinoma. Our patient had a rapidly deteriorating course with recurrent strokes despite numerous anti-platelet and anti-coagulant agents, and was only responsive to chemotherapy aimed at the underlying cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Weill-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Babak B. Navi & Alan Z. Segal

  2. Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Lisa M. DeAngelis

Authors
  1. Babak B. Navi
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  2. Lisa M. DeAngelis
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  3. Alan Z. Segal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa M. DeAngelis.

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Navi, B.B., DeAngelis, L.M. & Segal, A.Z. Multifocal strokes as the presentation of occult lung cancer. J Neurooncol 85, 307–309 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-007-9419-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-007-9419-y

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