Skip to content
2000
Volume 18, Issue 29
  • ISSN: 1381-6128
  • E-ISSN: 1873-4286

Abstract

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are rare nervous system dysfunctions in cancer patients, which are not due to a local effect of the tumour or its metastases. PNS in adults are mainly associated with lung cancer, especially small cell lung cancer, lymphoma and gynaecological tumours. In some cases an overlapping of different clinical syndromes can be observed. Since autoantibodies directed against tumour and nervous system tissue can be observed, an autoimmune aetiology has been suspected in PNS patients. Currently, one group of patients exhibit surface-binding receptor or ion channel autoantibodies which are thought to be pathogenic and many of these patients respond well to immunotherapies. Another group of PNS is associated with highly specific autoantibodies directed against intracellular onconeuronal antigens. The latter group seem to be T-cell-mediated and do not respond well to immunotherapies. The childhood PNS, especially the neuroblastoma-associated opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome also respond to immunosuppressive therapies, plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins. The current review summarizes recent developments in physiopathology, diagnosis and treatment of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/138161212802502323
2012-10-01
2025-05-12
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/content/journals/cpd/10.2174/138161212802502323
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test