title: Syncope as the presenting symptom of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Syncope is a rare symptom of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a common tumor in Taiwan. We describe two patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who presented with frequent syncopal attacks five months before the diagnosis was made. We postulate that the mechanism of syncope is involvement of the glossopharyngeal or vagal nerve by para-pharyngeal extension of the tumor.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Institute, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology*