Symptoms of brain herniation due to lung cancer brain metastasis

Symptoms of brain herniation due to lung cancer brain metastasis:

After lung cancer metastasizes to the brain, the space-occupying effect of the tumor will lead to increased intracranial pressure, which may induce brain herniation in severe cases. According to the location of brain herniation, it can be divided into cerebellar tentorial herniation, occipital foramen herniation and subfalcine herniation. Different types of diseases have different symptoms.

Details are as follows:

1. Cerebellar tentorial herniation

Tentorial hiatal herniation is a common type of brain herniation, which refers to the situation where the tentorial notch protrudes after the brain tissue is compressed. Increased intracranial pressure is a direct inducing factor, and patients may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and papilledema. When the lesion damages the brain tissue that controls motor function, symptoms of motor dysfunction such as muscle fatigue, eyelid twitching, spasm, and paralysis may occur. Since the oculomotor nerve runs near the tentorial hiatus, the tentorial hiatal herniation may cause compression, leading to symptoms such as gradual dilation of the pupil and disappearance of light reflex. If the lesion compresses the brainstem, vital signs may be disturbed, such as slow and deep breathing, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature.

2. Foramen magnum hernia

Foramen magnum herniation is a phenomenon in which the cerebellar tonsils and their adjacent tissues move downward through the foramen magnum to the upper end of the cervical spinal canal due to increased intracranial pressure. Due to brainstem pressure, patients may experience respiratory and circulatory failure in a short period of time, accompanied by sudden enlargement or reduction of the pupil. After the onset of the disease, the cervical nerve roots may be stimulated, resulting in a straight neck or forced head position.

3. Herniation below the falx

Subfalcine hernia is mainly caused by high pressure on one side of the brain, which transfers the pressure of brain tissue to the other side. Since only one side of the brain tissue is compressed, the patient mainly experiences symptoms such as lower limb paralysis, loss of sensation, and urination disorders.

Brain herniation is a clinically critical disease with a rapid onset, relatively poor prognosis, and high disability rate, but patients still need active treatment to improve prognosis and prolong survival.