A Case of Early-Onset Rapidly Progressive Cerebral Infarction with Trousseau's Syndrome in a Patient with Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Surgery

Trousseau's syndrome refers to cerebral infarction associated with hypercoagulability caused by cancer. Here, we report a case of Trousseau's syndrome in a patient with pancreatic cancer undergoing surgery. A 71-year-old woman was diagnosed with pancreatic head cancer with portal vein invasion; she underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with portal vein resection. Pathological examination showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with para-aortic lymph nodal metastasis. Although the patient had an uneventful postoperative course, she suddenly developed right hemiplegia and dysarthria 6 weeks after surgery, resulting in multiple cerebral infarctions scattered over both hemispheres. Owing to elevated D-dimer and CA125 levels as well as multiple liver metastases, the patient was diagnosed with Trousseau's syndrome and treated using heparin-based anticoagulant therapy. However, her cerebral infarction progressed rapidly and she died within 35 days of admission. Therefore, Trousseau's syndrome should be suspected when a patient with cancer is diagnosed with cerebral infarction, and anticoagulation therapy with heparin should be promptly initiated.