Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Paraneoplastic Syndromes

Definition

Paraneoplastic syndromes (PS) are rare disorders triggered by the immune system's response to cancer cells, or by remote effects of tumor-derived factors. These syndromes are believed to occur when cancer-fighting anti-bodies or white blood cells, known as T-cells, mistakenly attack normal body cells. These disorders typically affect middle-aged to older people and are most common in patients with lung, ovarian, lymphatic, or breast cancer.

Description

Paraneoplastic syndromes are defined as clinical syndromes involving non-cancerous effects in the body that accompany malignant disease, and can affect any part of the nervous system from the cerebral cortex to peripheral nerves and muscles. In a broad sense, these syndromes are collections of symptoms that result from substances produced by the tumor, occurring far away from the tumor itself. When a tumor arises, the body may produce antibodies to fight...