Headache in Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Contemporary cancer research has led to unparalleled advances in therapeutics and improved survival. Even as treatment options continue to improve, quality of life should remain a priority. Headache drastically impacts the quality of life of patients with cancer and has a wide etiological scope, making diagnosis a challenge. Intracranial mass lesions are only one cause; others include extracranial tumors, paraneoplastic processes, and the consequences of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions used in cancer care. Fortunately, cancer-related headache is treatable, but a sound understanding of the variable etiologies is crucial to appropriate diagnostic evaluation and treatment. In this review, we highlight the important causes of headache in the patient with cancer, and consider the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, and treatment options for each.

An exploratory study evaluating the 30 medications most commonly associated with headaches in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System

“…In the 1989 study of the WHO Collaboration Centre for International Drug Monitoring, their team noted that several medication classes commonly associated with drug‐related headaches included oral contraceptives, calcium antagonists, indomethacin, histamine antagonists, beta blockers, isotretinoin, and nitrates. Mechanisms linking these medications to drug‐induced headaches have since been studied 2,3,9–12 . This project attempted to add to the Askmark study by interrogating the FAERS for the 30 most commonly reported headache‐inducing medications.…”

“…Mechanisms linking these medications to drug-induced headaches have since been studied. 2,3,[9][10][11][12] This project attempted to add to the Askmark study by interrogating the FAERS for the 30 most commonly reported headache-inducing medications.…”

Frequency of headache in oncology patients undergoing radiotherapy

“…Главобоља код онколошких пацијента у великој мери утиче на њихов квалитет живота, али се врло често неадекватно дијагностикује и лечи [14]. Они често трпе хроничан бол.…”

“…Такође, изложени су разним дијагностичким и терапијским процедурама [15]. Присуство тумора, његов однос са суседним структурама и паранеопластични синдром могу бити узрок како акутних, тако и хроничних главобоља [14]. Радиотерапија представља један од најчешћих видова лечења онколошких пацијената.…”

“…Ово највероватније из разлога што се за то време ни један пацијент није обратио свом лекару због главобоље. У другим студијама се наводи да се главобоља која је у вези са присуством тумора може адекватно лечити уколико се постави права дијагноза [14].…”