An Unusual Cause of Subacute Headache in a Patient Undergoing Chemotherapy for Advanced Testicular Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumour

Abstract

Testicular (germ cell) cancer is a model of a chemocurable malignancy and tends to have a favourable prognosis even in advanced stages due to exquisite sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. However, both acute and longer-term toxicities of multiagent chemotherapy remain significant as causes of morbidity, very occasionally mortality, and impaired quality-of-life. Here, we report a case of acute cerebral venous sinus thrombosis occurring within 10 days of chemotherapy initiation in a young patient without comorbidities, whose only predisposing factors were malignancy, chemotherapy, and perhaps mild dehydration. The clinical presentation was also unusual with headache of moderate severity only without focal or global neurologic deficits. We suspect that cisplatin may have had direct vasculotoxic effects. The patient recovered fully after short-duration anticoagulation but oncologists must remain aware of unusual and unpredictable complications of cytotoxic treatment.