2007 Volume 53 Issue 7 Pages 439-443
A case of lung adenocarcinoma with incipient symptoms of paralysis of the hypoglossal nerve is reported, with an emphasis on clinical features.
A 52-year-old woman presented with disturbance of tongue movement at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Komaki City Hospital. The tongue deviated towards the right on protrusion. The clinical diagnosis was paralysis of the hypoglossal nerve with suspicion of a lesion in the base of the skull. On CT and MRI of the head, a bone defect with a tumor was observed in the base of the skull. Bone scintigraphy revealed several hot spots in the thoracic vertebrae. Multiple bone metastases were suspected. A thoracoabdominal CT scan and chest roentgenogram showed a mass in the left lower lobe. The patient was finally given a diagnosis of primary lung adenocarcinoma and multiple bone metastases. Respecting the patient's will, we performed palliative therapy. The lung adenocarcinoma with metastases to the brain and bone has recently grown. The number of patients with cranial nerve disorders caused by metastatic lung adenocarcinomas, is considered to be increasing. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons should closely observe patients, taking into account important general diseases related to oral symptoms.
