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Investigating the causes of vertigo in breast cancer survivors

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Abstract

The vertigo symptom in breast cancer survivors has rarely been mentioned. The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of vertigo in breast cancer survivors with vertigo. From May 1997 to April 2003, 36 consecutive female breast cancer survivors with vertigo underwent a battery of tests including physical examination, neurological examination, serum lipid profile, plain chest radiograph, whole body bone scan, liver sonography, audiometry, electronystagmography (ENG) and MRI scan. Based on these tests, the causes of vertigo were attributed to peripheral labyrinthine origin in 14 patients (39%) and central origin in 22 patients (61%) consisting of 11 cases of vascular insufficiency, eight of hyperlipidemia and three of posterior fossa metastases (8%). The latter included one case of cerebellopontine angle and two of cerebellum, accompanied by extracranial systemic metastases, e.g., of the lung, bone or liver. In conclusion, vertigo in breast cancer survivors warrants concern, especially in those with extra-cranial systemic metastasis accompanied by headache. In addition to 8% occurrence of posterior fossa metastasis, other possible causes for vertigo in breast cancer survivors consist of vascular insufficiency, hyperlipidemia and labyrinthine lesion.

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Acknowledgements

This study was made possible by grant no. NSC 92-2314-B002-349 from the National Science Council, Taipei, Taiwan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

    Zeng-Ming Lin

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Chang-te St., Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ho Young

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  1. Zeng-Ming Lin
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  2. Yi-Ho Young
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Correspondence to Yi-Ho Young.

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Lin, ZM., Young, YH. Investigating the causes of vertigo in breast cancer survivors. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 262, 432–436 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-004-0846-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-004-0846-5

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