A 60-year-old Spanish man initially diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer was found instead to have live tapeworm larvae lodged in his brain.
Doctors Thought He Had Brain Cancer — It Was Tapeworms
Doctors in Castellón, Spain, suspected advanced brain cancer after CT scans revealed multiple tumor-like spots, but further testing ruled out cancer entirely, Fox News reports, citing a case report published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
A detailed MRI later revealed fluid-filled cysts, some containing tapeworm heads, confirming neurocysticercosis — caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium.
The man, who had no travel history to endemic regions, was treated with antiparasitic medications and corticosteroids and recovered without complications. Researchers suggested he may have ingested tapeworm eggs years earlier while working alongside migrant coworkers from endemic regions.
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