Recurrent Hodgkin's Disease Presenting as a Clinically Isolated Cavernous Sinus Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Hodgkin's disease involving the central nervous system is uncommon and is usually seen in patients with uncontrolled systemic disease or those who have had multiple episodes of recurrent disease. Common symptoms of intracranial Hodgkin's disease are motor and/or sensory deficits, headache, papilloedema, coma, and seizures. The rarity of Hodgkin's disease presenting with intracranial involvement is marked, but patients presenting with cavernous sinus syndrome is even rarer. Despite its rarity, the presence of a cavernous sinus syndrome in a patient with a known history of Hodgkin's disease warrants full utilization of modern diagnostic techniques in terms of investigation. Case Presentation. A 34-year-old woman, known with previous Hodgkin's lymphoma and now in remission for the past 7 years, presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of a left cavernous sinus syndrome. She was otherwise systemically well with no other complaints. Extensive investigations revealed no obvious cause for the cavernous sinus syndrome. A CT chest revealed subclinical axillary lymphadenopathy, which on excisional biopsy confirmed recurrent Hodgkin's disease. The patient's sole clinical presentation of her recurrent disease was the cavernous sinus syndrome, with no other clinically obvious systemic signs or symptoms to suggest a relapse. This was treated with steroids, and clinical improvement was noted; she was referred to oncology for extensive chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst there is a paucity of literature around this topic, it must be remembered by the clinician that cavernous sinus syndrome may be the sole clinical presentation of recurrent Hodgkin's disease. Even though it is reported that lymphomatous involvement in the brain usually occurs late in the disease process, this case is evidence that cavernous sinus syndrome may precede other systemic signs and symptoms. Recognising this possibility will ensure a rigorous search for Hodgkin's disease, an early and effective diagnosis, and a better prognosis in affected patients.