A 50-year-old male presents with a new, persistent headache that he describes as dull and located at the back of his head. He also reports night sweats, weight loss, and a decreased appetite. What is the likely diagnosis and next steps?
In this patient, a new, persistent headache associated with systemic symptoms such as night sweats and weight loss raises concern for a systemic illness like malignancy. While a primary brain tumor could be a cause, metastatic disease to the brain from another primary site must also be considered given his systemic symptoms. Immediate imaging, such as a CT or MRI of the brain, should be performed, and if negative, the workup should continue to identify any underlying systemic illness or malignancy.