Facial pain from visceral origin.
BACKGROUND
Unilateral facial pain in the trigeminal area is known to be caused by a cancer in the superior lobe of the lung.


METHODS
A 65 year old male, heavy smoker, presented a permanent otalgia and a mandibular pain on the left side. These symptoms could not be relieved by common analgesics. All explorations for common etiologies were negative. After an episode of dyspnea, a left lung cancer was discovered. Thanks to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the patient's pain was improved.


CONCLUSIONS
Referred facial pain is rare and can be explained by the invasion of the tenth nerve by an upper lobe lung tumor. In most cases, the patient presents a right otalgia and pain in the area of V3. The diagnosis can be delayed from 1 month to 4 years after the onset of the pain. Referred facial pain is improved by the treatment of the causal lung cancer.
Demez
P
P
ENT Dept. CHR Citadelle, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Goffart
Y
Y
Daele
J
J
D000368:Aged; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology*; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male