Cancer patients are at increased risk for stroke from direct and indirect effects of their malignancy. Some tumors are at high risk for cerebrovascular complications. Certain stroke mechanisms are specific to cancer, such as compression and occlusion of cerebral vessels by tumor, coagulopathy predisposing to hemorrhage and thrombosis, and treatment-related atherosclerosis. Special consideration for these mechanisms needs to be made when evaluating cancer patients, and treatment aimed at secondary prevention needs to incorporate overall prognosis and goals of care.
