Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes in patients with carcinoid.
BACKGROUND
Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are mainly associated with small-cell lung cancer, gynaecological tumours and lymphomas. Few studies report the association of neurological syndromes with a carcinoid, the majority being a serotonin-related myopathy. We report four patients with a PNS associated with carcinoid.


RESULTS
The clinical syndromes were sensory neuropathy, limbic encephalitis, myelopathy and brain stem encephalitis. Two patients had antineuronal autoantibodies (one anti-Hu, one anti-Yo), one patient had antinuclear antibodies, and one patient had no autoantibodies. For two of the carcinoids, expression of HuD in the tumour could be demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that carcinoids can also be associated with classical antineuronal antibody-associated PNS.
Tschernatsch
M
M
Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig- University, Am Steg 14, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
Dierkes
C
C
Gerriets
T
T
Hosch
J
J
Stolz
E
E
Kaps
M
M
Krasenbrink
I
I
Claus
D
D
Blaes
F
F
D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020363:Limbic Encephalitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D020364:Paraneoplastic Polyneuropathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; C095184:CDR2 protein, human; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins