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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffParaneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system are a group of rare disorders that develop in some people with cancer.
Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system occur when cancer-fighting agents of the immune system attack nerve or muscle cells. Cancers commonly associated with these disorders include lung, breast and ovarian cancer.
Depending on the location of the cell damage, these syndromes can cause problems with muscle movement or coordination, sensory perception, memory or thinking skills, or sleep.
In cases where extensive cell damage has occurred, paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system can't be reversed. However, treatment of the underlying cancer and other interventions may prevent further damage, improve symptoms and result in better quality of life.
- NINDS paraneoplastic syndrome information page. National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/paraneoplastic/paraneoplastic.htm. Accessed Oct. 4, 2010.
- Dalmau J, et al. Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes. In: Abeloff M, et al., eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingston Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/221079415-3/1062999853/1709/56.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06694-8..50055-5--cesec11_1589. Accessed Oct. 4, 2010.
- Pelosof LC, et al. Paraneoplastic syndromes: An approach to diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2010;85:838.
- Toothaker TB, et al. Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes: A review. Neurologist. Jan 2009;15:21.
- Dalmau J, et al. Paraneoplastic syndromes of the CNS. Lancet Neurology. 2008;7:327.
- Giglio P, et al. Neurologic complications of cancer and its treatment. Current Oncology Reports. 2010;12:50a.
- NINDS Isaac's syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/Isaacs_syndrome/Isaacs_syndrome.htm. Accessed Oct. 5, 2010.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Oct. 5, 2010.
- Therapeutic hematheresis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec11/ch146/ch146f.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- Passive immunization. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch169/ch169c.html?qt=immunoglobulin&alt=sh. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- McKeon A, et al. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography in paraneoplastic neurologic disorders: Systematic analysis and review. Archives of Neurology. 2010;67:322.
- Pittock SJ, et al. Paraneoplastic Autoimmunity Affecting the Nervous System. In: Baehring JM, et al., eds. Brain Tumors: Practical Guide to Diagnosis and Management. New York, N.Y.: Informa Healthcare; 2007:515.
- Lachance DH, et al. Paraneoplastic neurological autoimmunity. In: Kalman B, et al., eds. Neuroimmunology in Clinical Practice. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell; 2007:210.
- Harper CM, et al. Lambert-Eaton syndrome. In: Kaminski HJ. Current Clinical Neurology: Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders. Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press; 2009:269.
- Pittock SJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 14, 2010.
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