Somatization Symptoms Are Related to Right-Hemispheric Primary Brain Tumor: A Population-Based Prospective Study of Tumor Patients in Northern Finland

BackgroundSomatization symptoms have been found to be early symptoms of tumor among brain tumor patients.ObjectiveThe authors followed patients through diagnosis of brain tumor and subsequent surgery.MethodPatients with a supratentorial tumor were given repeated measurements for somatization with the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index.ResultsBefore 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.ConclusionIt is important to remember possible very unusual causes behind somatization symptoms.