Early-onset Stroke in a Patient With Nasopharyngeal Cancer Associated With Protein C Deficiency

• Main Authors: Ya-Ning Chiu, Tyng-Guey Wang, Chein-Wei Chang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2009-07-01
• Series: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
• Subjects: carotid stenosis; nasopharyngeal cancer; protein C deficiency; radiotherapy; stroke
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664609603788

We report a 47-year-old male stroke patient with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and protein C deficiency. The patient was diagnosed with NPC and received a complete course of radiotherapy. Infarction stroke occurred 28 months after radiotherapy and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain confirmed the diagnosis. Carotid duplex sonography showed 50–79% stenosis in his left internal carotid artery. Coagulation profiles indicated protein C deficiency. After medical treatment and rehabilitation, the patient regained the ability to walk and he could perform most of his daily activities. Radiotherapy-induced carotid stenosis is an exacerbating feature of stroke in patients with protein C deficiency. We suggest early carotid duplex sonography and survey of the coagulation profile to prevent a stroke in patients with NPC.