title: A case of Guillain-Barré syndrome in a patient with non small cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy.
abstract: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a demyelinating polyneuropathy of probable autoimmune pathogenesis characterized by rapidly progressive symmetric paralysis. In the literature some cases of GBS associated with anticancer chemotherapy are reported. We present a case of a 55-year old woman who complained of progressive motor deficit in four limbs, areflexia in lower limbs and facial nerve paralysis one week after beginning cisplatin-gemcitabine chemotherapy for metastatic lung cancer. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed a strong positive Pandy reaction with 435 mg/dl total protein. The electromyography and the electroneuronography established the diagnosis of inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Specific therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin 25 g/day in 5 administrations for 5 days was started with complete benefit.
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fulfaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caraceni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arcara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Badalamenti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intrivici
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gebbia
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine