Unilateral facial pain as the first symptom of lung cancer: are there diagnostic clues?

Abstract

We describe three patients with unilateral facial pain due to non-metastatic lung cancer and review 11 published cases. Pain, most frequently located on the right side and around the ear, as well as digital clubbing can be clues to an early diagnosis. Compression of the vagus nerve by the tumour or by mediastinal adenopathy is most likely responsible for the facial pain and could play a role in pulmonary osteoarthropathy.