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CV2/CRMP5 is the most common antibody accompaniment of paraneoplastic choreoathetosis. We present a case of paraneoplastic choreothetosis with associated cerebellar dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, and likely dysautonomia. Our patient developed a movement disorder after a cardiopulmonary arrest, which unfortunately masked the true etiology of his symptoms. He was later found to have extensive stage small cell lung cancer, with further evaluation revealing seropositivity for anti-CV2 antibodies. Choreoathetosis is a known sequelae of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, but clinicians should continue to keep an open mind. The utility of immunotherapy is unclear in these circumstances and many physicians adopt a symptom-based approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes are exceedingly rare, and often difficult to recognize clinically. Paraneoplastic achalasia is a condition characterized by new-onset dysphagia that is unrelated to tumor burden, most often due to the development of auto-immune antibodies targeting esophageal tissue. Due to the rarity of this condition, diagnosis is often delayed, leading to increased time to treatment. Here we report a case of a rare paraneoplastic achalasia in a female child with EBV + Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), review literature describing paraneoplastic achalasia, and discuss treatment strategies for improving clinical outcome in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In malignant and rheumatological diseases, there is often an overlap of signs and symptoms that requires that neoplasms be considered as a differential diagnosis. When musculoskeletal symptoms are the first manifestation of disease, diagnosis may be difficult because, at the time of the initial presentation, obvious signs of malignancy may be absent. (B) Immunohistochemical characterization of the tumour revealed strong reactivity in the majority of tumour cells with ALK (immunoperoxidase stain). [Extracted from the article]

Our objective was to examine the strength of evidence in support of the paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) as one cause of ALS and, if the association appears more likely than chance, determine which features of ALS imply concurrent malignancy. We reviewed the literature on concurrent ALS and neoplasia assessing the strength of evidence for the association. Most accounts of ALS and neoplasm are case reports or small uncontrolled series. In order of strength of evidence, three clinical situations that support a paraneoplastic aetiology for ALS are: 1) laboratory evidence of well-characterized onconeuronal antibodies, most often anti-Hu, anti-Yo or anti-Ri; 2) co-occurrence of ALS and a neoplasm known to cause PNS, usually lymphoma or cancer of the breast; and 3) combined ALS and a neoplasm not classically associated with PNS, without detectable onconeuronal antibodies. Clinical features that warrant evaluation of neoplasm include upper motor neuron disease in elderly females, rapid progression, non-motor signs, and young onset. In conclusion, most examples of ALS and neoplasm do not constitute a classically established PNS. Rare instances of elevated onconeuronal antibody titres or typical neoplasm, implies that, albeit rare, the PNS is one of a multitude of causes of ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are associated with various cancers. Cerebellar and limbic paraneoplastic manifestations are known to be associated with Hodgkin's disease (HD), but reports of diffuse encephalitis associated with HD are very rare. We report a case of acute severe diffuse encephalitis revealing a HD. Clinical presentation, cerebro-spinal fluid modifications and magnetic resonance imagery data are described. The treatment associated specific chemotherapy and plasma exchange. The neurological status improved dramatically within the first days of treatment, with parallel neoplasm regression. This case stresses the fact that encephalopathy can be the first sign of an undiagnosed extra-cerebral neoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some epidemiological surveys have shown an increased incidence of malignancies in patients with multiple Sclerosis (MS). Furthermore, in rare cases central demyelinating disorders like optic neuritis, encephalomyelitis, and myelitis could be of paraneoplastic origin. Antineuronal antibodies are frequently associated with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) but are also described in cancer patients without neurological symptoms. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed sera from 247 patients with MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) for the presence of anti-HuD, Yo, Ri, CV2/CRMP5, Ma2, and amphiphysin antibodies using ELISA employing recombinant onconeural antigens. None of the sera revealed high titers of antineuronal antibodies and only two sera from MS patients show weak reactivity, representing in all probability background activity. Furthermore, cancer incidence in our study is low (0.8%%). Our analysis does not support an association between MS and well-characterized paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies, suggestive of a secondary humoral autoimmune response, underlying latent malignancy, or paraneoplastic origin in our cohort. In reverse, negative screening results in samples of MS patients confirm the high specificity of these antibodies for PNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]