Cerebral infarction developing in a patient without cancer with a markedly elevated level of mucinous tumor marker

Abstract

Previous studies have shown the possible role of mucin in cerebral infarction associated with coagulation abnormalities in patients with cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma. We report a 42-year-old woman who developed motor aphasia and cerebral infarction in the left frontal lobe and right parietal lobe. A mucinous tumor marker, CA125 level, was markedly elevated at 1750 U/mL (normal, <36 U/mL), and the D-dimer level was 6.0 μg/mL (normal, <1 μg/mL). She had adenomyosis and no malignancy was revealed. The CA125 and the D-dimer levels became normal after treatment of adenomyosis. Our findings suggest for the first time that marked elevation of mucinous tumor marker level may cause cerebral infarction even in benign conditions.