Paraneoplastic syndrome

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Paraneoplastic syndrome
SpecialtyOncology
FrequencyRare[1]

A paraneoplastic syndrome is a

tumor cells or by an immune response against the tumor.[2] Unlike a mass effect, it is not due to the local presence of cancer cells.[3]

Paraneoplastic syndromes are typical among middle-aged to older people, and they most commonly occur with cancers of the

malignancy, which has been hypothesized to relate to the disease pathogenesis. In this paradigm, tumor cells express tissue-restricted antigens (e.g., neuronal proteins), triggering an anti-tumor immune response which may be partially or, rarely, completely effective[5] in suppressing tumor growth and symptoms.[6][7] Patients then come to clinical attention when this tumor immune response breaks immune tolerance
and begins to attack the normal tissue expressing that (e.g., neuronal) protein.

The abbreviation PNS is sometimes used for paraneoplastic syndrome, although it is used more often to refer to the peripheral nervous system.

Signs and symptoms

Symptomatic features of paraneoplastic syndrome cultivate in four ways:

pyrogens often related to lymphokines or tissue pyrogens), but the overall picture will often include several clinical cases observed which may specifically simulate more common benign conditions.[8]

Endocrine

The following diseases manifest by means of

hypercalcemia, hypoglycemia, carcinoid syndrome, and hyperaldosteronism.[8]

Neurological

The following diseases manifest by means of

neurological dysfunction: Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome, paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, encephalomyelitis, limbic encephalitis, brainstem encephalitis, opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome, anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, and polymyositis.[8]

Mucocutaneous

The following diseases manifest by means of

sensory ganglia), pancreatic tumors (leading to adipose nodular necrosis of subcutaneous tissues), flushes (prostaglandin secretions), and even dermic melanosis (cannot be eliminated via urine and results in grey to black-blueish skin tones).[8]

Hematological

The following diseases manifest by means of

gynecological tumors and myosarcomas).[8]

Other

The following diseases manifest by means of physiological dysfunction besides the categories above:

nephrons), and gastrointestinal (production of molecules that affect the motility and secretory activity of the digestive tract) dysfunctions, for example, may relate to paraneoplastic syndromes.[8]

Mechanism

The mechanism for a paraneoplastic syndrome varies from case to case. However, pathophysiological outcomes usually arise when a tumor does. Paraneoplastic syndrome often occurs alongside associated cancers as a result of an activated immune system. In this scenario, the body may produce antibodies to fight off the tumor by directly binding and destroying the tumor cell. Paraneoplastic disorders may arise in that antibodies would cross-react with normal tissues and destroy them.[9]

Diagnosis

Diagnostic testing in a possible paraneoplastic syndrome depends on the symptoms and the suspected underlying cancer.[citation needed]

Diagnosis may be difficult in patients in whom paraneoplastic antibodies cannot be detected. In the absence of these antibodies, other tests that may be helpful include MRI, PET, lumbar puncture and electrophysiology.[10]

Types

Syndrome class Syndrome Main causal cancers Causal mechanism
Endocrine[11]
Cushing syndrome
 Ectopic
ACTH
and ACTH-like substance
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone
Antidiuretic hormone[12]
Hypercalcemia
IL-1[12]
Hypoglycemia Insulin or insulin-like substance[12] or "big" IGF-II
Carcinoid syndrome Serotonin, bradykinin[12]
Hyperaldosteronism
  • Conn's syndrome
  • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
  • Ovarian carcinoma
  • Pulmonary
 Aldosterone[14]
Neurological[15] Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome
  • Small-cell lung cancer
 Immunologic
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
Encephalomyelitis Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Limbic encephalitis
  • Small-cell lung carcinoma
Brainstem encephalitis
  • Lung cancer
  • Testicular cancer
 Antineuronal antibodies (anti-Hu, anti-Ri, and anti-Ma2). Some forms are amenable to immunotherapy while others are not.[16]
Opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia
syndrome
  • Breast carcinoma
  • Ovarian carcinoma
  • Small-cell lung carcinoma
  • Neuroblastoma (in children)
 Autoimmune reaction against the RNA-binding protein Nova-1[17]
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis Autoimmune reaction against
NMDA-receptor
subunits
Polymyositis
Mucocutaneous[19] Acanthosis nigricans
Dermatomyositis Immunologic[12]
Leser-Trélat sign
Necrolytic migratory erythema Glucagonoma
Sweet's syndrome
Florid cutaneous papillomatosis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Acquired generalized hypertrichosis
Hematological[21] Granulocytosis G-CSF
Polycythemia Erythropoietin[12]
Trousseau sign
  • Pancreatic carcinoma[12]
  • Bronchogenic carcinoma[12]
Mucins that activate clotting,[12]
others
Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis
  • Advanced cancers[12]
Hypercoagulability[12]
Anemia
  • Thymic neoplasms[12]
 Unknown[12]
Others Membranous glomerulonephritis
Tumor-induced osteomalacia
Stauffer syndrome
Neoplastic fever[23]
Thymoma-associated multiorgan autoimmunity

A specifically devastating form of (neurological) paraneoplastic syndromes is a group of disorders classified as

rapid uncontrolled eye movements, difficulty swallowing, loss of muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination, slurred speech, memory loss, vision problems, sleep disturbances, dementia, seizures, and sensory loss in the limbs.[citation needed
]

The most common cancers associated with PNDs are breast, ovarian, and lung cancers, but many other cancers can produce paraneoplastic symptoms, as well.[citation needed]

The root cause is extremely difficult to identify for paraneoplastic syndrome, as there are so many ways the disease can manifest (which may eventually lead to cancer)[citation needed]. Ideas may relate to age-related diseases (unable to handle environmental or physical stress in combination with genetic pre-dispositions), accumulation of damaged biomolecules (damages signaling pathways in various regions of the body), increased oxygen free radicals in the body (alters metabolic processes in various regions of the body), etc. [citation needed].

However, prophylactic efforts include routine checks with physicians (particularly those that specialize in neurology and oncology) especially when a patient notices subtle changes in his or her own body.[citation needed]

Treatment

Treatment options include:[citation needed]

  1. Therapies to eliminate the underlying cancer, such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
  2. Therapies to reduce or slow neurological degeneration. In this scenario, rapid diagnosis and treatment are critical for the patient to have the best chance of recovery. Since these disorders are relatively rare, few doctors have seen or treated paraneoplastic neurological disorders (PNDs). Therefore, PND patients should consult with a specialist with experience in diagnosing and treating paraneoplastic neurological disorders.

A specific prognosis for those with paraneoplastic syndromes links to each unique case presented. Thus, prognosis for paraneoplastic syndromes may vary greatly. For example, paraneoplastic pemphigus often included infection as a major cause of death.[26] Paraneoplastic pemphigus is one of the three major subtypes that affects IgG autoantibodies that are characteristically raised against desmoglein 1 and desmoglein 3 (which are cell-cell adhesion molecules found in desmosomes).[27] Underlying cancer or irreversible system impairment, seen in acute heart failure or kidney failure, may result in death as well.[citation needed]

Research directions

Prostate cancer is the second most common urological malignancy to be associated with paraneoplastic syndromes after renal cell carcinoma. Paraneoplastic syndromes of this nature tend to occur in the setting of late stage and aggressive tumors with poor overall outcomes (endocrine manifestations, neurological entities, dermatological conditions, and other syndromes). A vast majority of prostate cancer cases (over 70%) document paraneoplastic syndrome as a major clinical manifestation of prostate cancer; and (under 20%), the syndrome as an initial sign of disease progression to the castrate-resistant state.[28] Urologist researchers identify serum markers that are associated with the syndrome in order to specific what type of therapies may work most effectively.[citation needed]

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes may be related

immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), one of the underlying causes in inflammatory central nervous system diseases (CNS). The central idea around such research pinpoints treatment strategies to combat cancer related outcomes in the clinical arena, specifically ICIs. Research suggests that patients who are treated with ICIs are more susceptible to CNS disease (since the mechanism of ICIs induces adverse effects on the CNS due to augmented immune responses and neurotoxicity).[29] The purpose of this exploration was to shed light on immunotherapies and distinguishing between neurotoxicity and brain metastasis in the early stages of treatment. In other research, scientists have found that paraneoplastic peripheral nerve disorders (autoantibodies linked to multifocal motor neuropathy) may provide important clinical manifestations.[30] This is especially important for patients who experience inflammatory neuropathies since solid tumors are often associated with peripheral nerve disorders. CV2 autoantibodies, which target dihydropyriminase-related protein 5 (DRP5, or CRMP5) are also associated with a variety of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, including sensorimotor polyneuropathies.[31][32] Patients undergoing immune therapies or tumor removal respond very well to antibodies that target CASPR2 (to treat nerve hyperexcitability and neuromyotonia).[33][34]

References

  1. ^ a b "Paraneoplastic Syndromes". National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  2. S2CID 247934655
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  3. ^ Paraneoplastic Syndromes, 2011, Darnell & Posner
  4. ^ NINDS Paraneoplastic Syndromes Information Page Archived 2015-01-04 at the Wayback Machine National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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  6. PMID 15342008
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  8. ^ a b c d e f Santacroce L, Diomede L, Balducci L (3 February 2019). Talavera F, Movsas B (eds.). "Background of Paraneoplastic Syndromes". Medscape. WebMD LLC.
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  10. ^ Dalmau J, Rosenfield MR (6 December 2016). "Overview of paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system". UpToDate. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  11. ^ Paraneoplastic+endocrine+syndromes at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4160-2973-1
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  13. ^
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  14. PMID 11368052
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  15. ^ Nervous+system+paraneoplastic+syndromes at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
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