Ovarian cancer: PCD and brain metastases.
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD), the one of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes, refer to clinical disorders associated mostly with lung, ovarian and breast cancer, but not directly caused by the cancer or its metastases. Pathologic finding is an extensive loss of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Immunohistochemically, the auto-antibodies on the Purkinje cells had been detected. Clinically, PCD is characterized by sub-acutely evolving pancerebellar symptoms. Neurological dysfunction may appear before the detection of the underlying cancer. Therefore, the surgical exploration is necessary for the final diagnosis. The patient undergoes specific therapy. Soon, neurological status of the patient gets irreparable worse. Death come usually 2-3 years after the first symptoms of the PCD occurs. Case of a 63-years old woman with PCD as the first evidence of her cancer is reported. The patient developed brain metastases and died almost 3 years after the first symptoms of PCD occur
Stepanić
Vesna
V
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital "Zagreb", Zagreb, Croatia. vstepi@yahoo.com
Matković
Visnja
V
Corusić
Ante
A
Barisić
Dubravko
D
Buković
Damir
D
Ilić-Forko
Jadranka
J
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D020362:Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000473:pathology