title: Paraneoplastic neurological complications of breast cancer.
abstract: Breast cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer of women in much of the world. In countries with screening programs, breast cancer is often detected before clinical symptoms are apparent, but occasionally the occurrence of a paraneoplastic syndrome precedes the identification of cancer. In breast cancer, there are known to be paraneoplastic endocrine syndromes and neurologic syndromes. The neurologic syndromes are often hard to identify and treat. The neurologic syndromes associated with breast cancer include cerebellar degeneration, sensorimotor neuropathy, retinopathy, stiff-persons syndrome, encephalitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus. Most of these are mediated by antibodies against known neural antigens, although some cases appear to be mediated by non-humoral mechanisms. Treatments differ depending upon the syndrome type and etiology. Outcomes also vary depending upon duration of disease, the treatments used and the responsiveness of the underlying cancer. A thorough review of the published literature is provided along with recommendations for management and future research.
authors: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Fanous
authors: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA ; UVA Division of Hematology/Oncology, UVA, Box 800716, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA.
authors: Patrick
authors: 0000-0003-0622-725X
authors: P
authors: Dillon
keywords: Breast cancer; Cerebellum; Encephalitis; Epidemiology; Paraneoplastic; Retinopathy; Stiffness