Mental neuropathy from systemic cancer.
Nineteen patients with mental neuropathy secondary to systemic cancer are described. In nine patients, the numb chin was the presenting symptom of a neoplasm. Nine patients had lymphoreticular malignancies, and the others had a variety of solid tumors. Radiograms of the mandible were abnormal in 5 of 12 patients. The cerebrospinal fluid contained malignant cells in two. Resolution, complete or partial, occurred in 16 of 19 patients receiving radiation or chemotherapy, including 8 who received chemotherapy alone. Sixteen of the 19 patients died within 17 months of the onset of the neuropathy. A nontraumatic mental neuropathy should initiate a search for cancer.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002680:Chin / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology