Wernicke’s encephalopathy in advanced cancer

Abstract

This 54-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer presented with severe confusion, incontinence and self-neglect. MRI suggested Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) without any history of alcohol misuse. The patient’s symptoms seemed to not respond to acute treatment. Cancer progression was assumed to be causing her condition and she was discharged to a nursing home with community palliative care team follow-up. This case demonstrates the natural course of cancer-associated WE and eventual improvement with thiamine therapy. It also illustrates a role for specialist palliative care follow up for patients discharged to a nursing home for expected end-of-life care.