Paraneoplastic Syndromes in Lung Cancers: Manifestations of Ectopic Endocrinological Syndromes and Neurologic Syndromes

Abstract

Paraneoplastic syndromes are clinical entities associated with cancers and often overlap with metabolic and endocrine syndromes. The cell types of lung cancer involved are frequently small cell, squamous cell, adenocarcinoma, large cell, and carcinoid tumor. A number of neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes have been described for which the tumor product remains unknown. These include peripheral neuropathies, a myasthenia-like syndrome, and subacute cerebellar degeneration. Although all of these syndromes may improve with successful treatment of the primary tumor, complete resolution is rare.

Keywords: Endocrine and neurologic; Hypercalcemia; Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy; Lung cancer; Myopathy; Neuropathy; Paraneoplastic syndromes; Subacute cerebellar degeneration; Syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion.