BC Friend with Headaches

[Becky]

I have a bc friend (not Her2 but ER/PR+) that is getting headaches almost every afternoon. Works exclusively with computers. Headaches are in the forehead right in front. Nothing else. Tylenol, aspirin etc take it away but it can come back after it wears off. Loads of stress (nasty divorce). She wants to know if these are symptoms of brain mets. She is 3 years out from Stage 2 (1 node, 2.5cm tumor) and is doing well. Just switched from Tamoxifen to Arimidex about 4 months ago.

Thanks in advance

Becky

[julierene]

I've seen a lot more from women who have nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, etc. But I always advise to err on the side of caution. Have her Onc do the tests like checking her preferials and reflexes, tounge, etc. 3 years out is still in the danger zone unfortunately. But hopefully she is right, it's just headaches.

Just hit me weird when I was reading that because I was blaming my back pain on my new desk job, sitting at the computer. It was right in the spot of my bra line. I chalked it up as not sitting properly and the new chair... I was 2 years out, with node negative disease and a 2cm, grade 3, her2+ tumor. Even though the statistics are on her side, I don't see any reason to not check it out. But I would tell myself, it's nothing, lets just make sure.

[Lani]

Hot off (or not even yet off) the press:

1: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2006 Mar;15(1):90-5. Related Articles, Links

Headache characteristics and brain metastases prediction in cancer patients.

Argyriou AA, Chroni E, Polychronopoulos P, Argyriou K, Papapetropoulos S, Corcondilas M, Lepoura N, Heras P.

Department of Medicine-Division of Clinical Oncology, General Hospital of Kos Island, and Neurology Department, Regional University Hospital of Patras, Greece.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the headache and other neurological symptoms and signs as guide predictors for the occurrence of brain metastases in cancer patients. We prospectively studied 54 cancer patients with newly appeared headache or with a change in the pattern of an existing headache during the recent months. All patients completed a questionnaire regarding headache's clinical characteristics and existence of accompanying symptoms. They also underwent a detailed neurological, ophthalmologic examination and brain neuroimaging investigation. Brain metastases were diagnosed in 29 patients. Univariate regression analysis showed an association between occurrence of brain metastases and nine clinical symptoms or signs. Multivariate regression analyses emerged only four of them as significant independent predictors. These were: bilateral frontal-temporal headache, more pronounced on the side of metastasis in cases of single metastases, with duration >/=8 weeks, pulsating quality and moderate to severe intensity (OR: 11.9; 95% CI. 2.52-56.1), emesis (OR: 10.2; 95% CI. 2.1-55.8), gait instability (OR: 7.4; 95% CI. 1.75-33.9) and extensor plantar response (OR: 12.1; 95% CI. 2.2-120.7). In conclusion, all cancer patients who manifest the above independent clinical predictors should be highly suspected for appearance of brain metastases and therefore should be thoroughly investigated.

PMID: 16441682 [PubMed - in process]

[julierene]

Pleh.... English PLEASE?
emesis
extensor plantar response

I had a pulsating headache at times, and it was in the back left section. Brain MRI showed nothing.

[Unregistered]

Hi, emesis means vomiting. Here's a link to an online medical dictionary which I've found helpful. You'll find the definition for the extensor plantar response there...


MedTerm Dictionary
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7189

[Unregistered]

Emesis does mean vomiting

extensor plantar response is the Babinski sign--the downward bending of the toes in the response to a sharp object being moved over the sole of the foot