Paraneoplastic syndromes

Abstract

Malignancies most often produce symptoms by local tumor growth and invasion, or by metastatic spread. However, there are remote effects of the primary cancer termed paraneoplastic that can result in significant symptomatology and organ dysfunction.1 It is postulated that these syndromes result from the production of substances, such as hormones or their precursors, steroid metabolites, enzymes, and various cytokines.2 Neurologic syndromes associated with neoplasms may be the result of antibody production related to immunoaccessible antigens produced by the neoplasm. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.