Successful treatment of syncope with chemotherapy irresponsive to cardiac pacemaker in head and neck cancer.

Abstract

Recurrent syncope as a complication of recurrent neck malignancy is an uncommon but well documented association. The syncope is presumed to occur when a tumor mass invades the baroreceptor within the carotid sinus or when it disrupts the afferent nerve fibers of the glossopharyngeal nerve. A 59-year-old man presented with recurrent syncope and headache. He had a wide local excision including tonsillectomy and modified left radical neck dissection for tonsilar cancer 4 years ago. A computed tomography scan revealed ill-defined lesions in left parapharyngeal, carotid space and right upper jugular region. After clinical evaluation, cardiac pacemaker was placed, but he still suffered from the syncope. Then, he received the chemotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin. The last hypotension event occurred on day 10 of the chemotherapy. Six months after 3 cycles of chemotherapy, he remained in complete remission and resolution of syncope. We report a case in which syncope was associated with a recurrence of tonsilar cancer and successfully treated with chemotherapy.

• Authors: Ji Hyun Ju, Myoung Hee Kang, Hoon Gu Kim, Gyeong Won Lee, Jung Je Park, Jin Pyeong Kim, Jung Hun Kang
• Journal: Yonsei medical journal (Yonsei Med J) Vol. 50 Issue 5 Pg. 725-8 (Oct 31 2009) ISSN: 1976-2437 [Electronic] Korea (South)
• PMID: 19881981 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Taxoids
• Docetaxel
• Cisplatin

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (complications, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Cisplatin (therapeutic use)
• Docetaxel
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (complications, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (complications, drug therapy)
• Pacemaker, Artificial
• Radiography
• Syncope (drug therapy, etiology)
• Taxoids (therapeutic use)
• Tonsillar Neoplasms (complications, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)