What are paraneoplastic syndromes?
Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are all the side effects that occur in the body due to cancer but are not directly caused by this disease or by the treatments to alleviate it. These are side effects of cancer, among which Lambert-Eaton syndrome stands out, a disease considered rare that weakens the nervous system and also causes weakness in the limbs, especially in the legs. This type of weakness, predominantly in the morning, can be accompanied by dry mouth, muscle pain and diarrhea. It also tends to occur more frequently in patients who have already suffered from other types of ailments such as encephalomyelitis, subacute sensory neuropathy and limbic encephalitis, among others. There are different types of paraneoplastic syndromes depending on the area affected:
- General paraneoplastic syndromes.
- Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes
- Endocrine paraneoplastic syndromes
- Digestive paraneoplastic syndromes
- Hematologic paraneoplastic syndromes
- Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes
- Renal paraneoplastic syndromes
- Rheumatological paraneoplastic syndromes
The symptoms of these pathologies may vary depending on the syndrome.
Prognosis of the disease
The prognosis of the disease depends on the disease itself. Diagnosis of these diseases can be difficult, as they can mimic many other diseases. . Sometimes some parameters may be altered in the biochemistry of a routine blood test, but at other times they may be normal and specific markers, which are also detected in blood, or in other fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, must be used. Imaging studies such as CT or MRI can help to establish a more specific diagnosis.
Symptoms of paraneoplastic syndromes
The symptoms of these pathologies can vary depending on the syndrome, therefore, the symptoms can be hematological, gastrointestinal, cutaneous, cardiovascular, renal or neurological, depending on which target organ is affected. Fever is a symptom that usually appears in all of them, so it is the most common, although there are a wide variety of symptoms. In the nervous system they may include dementia, confusional pictures, weakness, double vision, alterations of sensibility, etc.
Medical tests for paraneoplastic syndromes
The first thing is to make a good general and neurological examination: osteotendinous reflexes, muscle balance, sensibility, sight, hearing, coordination, balance, among others. Laboratory tests can also be performed, which may include blood tests and lumbar puncture. Imaging tests such as CT and MRI.
What are the causes of paraneoplastic syndromes?
The causes are unknown, although specialists believe that there may be pyrogens that can trigger fever and alterations of copper and zinc in the metabolism, resulting in a bad taste in the mouth. In addition, patients with lung, ovarian, breast, testicular or lymphatic system cancer are more prone to suffer from these pathologies. To put it in layman’s terms, tumor cells are capable of producing bioactive molecules with the capacity to injure specific tissues and organs for which they have an affinity (trophism).
Can it be prevented?
Prevention is not possible, but early diagnosis can help to avoid major complications.
Treatments for paraneoplastic syndromes
Symptoms can be reduced by following the appropriate treatment for the underlying cancer. Surgical treatment is based on removing the tumor, although sometimes it can be resolved without surgery.
Which specialist treats it?
The expert who treats this pathology is the Neurologist. Neurology is the medical specialty that studies, prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases and lesions affecting the central nervous system (brain, cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (roots, plexus, nerves, neuromuscular junction and muscle).