title: Humor manifestations of neoplasms.
abstract: The exact prevalence of the humoral syndromes associated with neoplasm is not known but it seems clear that they exist more commonly than is realized. Hormonal syndromes are very often seen in patients with carcinoma of the lung. Awareness of the large number of ectopic hormonal syndromes in patients with tumors can lead to early diagnosis, treatment, and herald recurrence. They may be responsible for new signs and symptoms which can be life-shortening. Hormonal causes of clinical deterioration must be considered before concluding that symptoms are due to metastases in patients with neoplastic disease. Tumors are chemically active and the important concept which has had great impact on the diagnosis, treatment, and basic understanding of mechanisms, which are important to endocrinologists and oncologists has been stated by Liddle: "Certain tumors of nonendocrine tissue can produce hormones that are similar to normal hormones except that their production is not appropriately controlled by normal physiologic mechanisms." Survival and quality of life can be reduced in patients with the metabolic complications of these humors. The list of humoral substances released by tumors is growing as technologic advances lead to their detection. Other chemical substances produced by neoplastic tissue may have biologic activity which impacts on the patient's clinical condition and which we cannot recognize, at this time, because the techniques to detect them have not been developed. If there are signs or symptoms of overproduction of a hormone, search for a tumor; if a patient has a tumor, search for biologically active substances.
mesh_terms: D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism; D006728:Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000209:etiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000150:complications; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D014667:Vasopressins; D004921:Erythropoietin