Somatization symptoms are related to right-hemispheric primary brain tumor: a population-based prospective study of tumor patients in northern Finland.

BACKGROUND

Somatization symptoms have been found to be early symptoms of tumor among brain tumor patients.

OBJECTIVE

The authors followed patients through diagnosis of brain tumor and subsequent surgery.

METHOD: Patients with a supratentorial tumor were given repeated measurements for somatization with the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index.

RESULTS

Before tumor operation, the patients with a tumor in the right hemisphere had significantly higher somatic anxiety scores than those with a tumor located in the left hemisphere. The specific symptoms were dizziness and palpitation among patients with a right hemispheric tumor.

CONCLUSION

It is important to remember possible very unusual causes behind somatization symptoms.