title: Chronic daily headache in a patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Chronic daily headache (CDH) among nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients is a multidisciplinary challenge. Although imaging studies are recommended to identify skull-base invasion, intracranial metastasis or skull-base osteoradionecrosis, a headache diary is also a practical approach. A 42-year-old woman had been bothered with CDH since she was diagnosed with T3N1M0 stage III NPC 2 years earlier. Although the imaging studies did not show any abnormality, the attending doctor informed her that there remained the possibility of an intracranial or skull-base lesion. She was regularly taking painkillers. Eventually, when her headache diary was examined, the diagnosis of chronic migraine superimposed on medication overuse headache was made according to the ICHD-IIR. The CDH abated after 1 week of outpatient detoxification. The following half year was uneventful. In reporting this case, we suggest that it would be of interest to a number of disciplines including otorhinolaryngologists, oncologists and radio-oncologists. By avoiding medication overuse in similar patients, we hope to improve the quality of life of these individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Taoyuan Hospital, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Jiann-Jy
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dem-Lion
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000506:poisoning*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D062787:Drug Overdose; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents