Numb chin syndrome (NCS) refers to abnormal sensation in the chin and lower lip within
the mental nerve distribution. NCS is caused by malignant infiltration of the inferior
alveolar nerve or the mental nerve and its branches, or through compression of these
nerves by jaw metastases or local tumors [
[1]
]. This syndrome sometimes presents as the first symptom of metastasis, and therefore
requires prompt and accurate diagnosis. However, its diagnosis can be difficult due
to the low sensitivity of imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT), panoramic
radiography of the jaw or bone scan [
2
,
3
,
- Fan Y.
- Luka R.
- Noronha A.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with numb chin syndrome.
BMJ Case Rep. 2011; https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.01.2011.3712
4
,
5
]. In addition, routine brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may give false negative
results in skull base and maxillo-mandibular lesions.Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of the Neurological SciencesAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Mental neuropathy: report of five cases and review of the literature.Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2000; 34: 71-79
- Mental neuropathy (numb chin syndrome) leading to diagnosis of metastatic mediastinal cancer.Anticancer Res. 2010; 30: 1819-1821
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with numb chin syndrome.BMJ Case Rep. 2011; https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.01.2011.3712
- Mental neuropathy (numb chin syndrome): a harbinger of tumor progression or relapse.Cancer. 1993; 71: 874-875
- Numb chin syndrome—a reflection of systemic malignancy.World J Surg Oncol. 2006; 4: 52
- Unusual presentation of ‘numb chin syndrome’ as the manifestation of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung.Int J Surg Case Rep. 2013; 4: 1097-1099
- Numb chin syndrome in acute myeloid leukemia.Am J Med Sci. 2012; 344: 237-240
- Bilateral numb chin syndrome leading to a diagnosis of Burkitt's cell acute lymphocytic leukemia: a case report and literature review.Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2011; 111: e11-e16
- Numb chin syndrome: a rare and often overlooked symptom.J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2014; 28: 80-90
Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 17, 2014
Accepted:
July 10,
2014
Received in revised form:
June 9,
2014
Received:
May 6,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
