Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and limbic encephalitis in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the colon

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1993 Jun;56(6):713-6. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.56.6.713.

Abstract

The rare association of two neurological paraneoplastic syndromes, paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and limbic encephalitis occurred in a 55 year old woman with a microscopic adenocarcinoma in a colonic polyp. Complete removal of the tumour by polypectomy brought about a favourable recovery from limbic encephalitis but the cerebellar ataxia remained. High titres of antineuronal nuclear antibody resembling anti-Hu were demonstrated in serum by immunohistochemistry using rat brain as a substrate. The antibody identified a protein band of 41 kDa on a Western immunoblot.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / complications*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cerebellar Ataxia / complications*
  • Cerebellar Ataxia / metabolism
  • Colonic Neoplasms / complications*
  • Encephalitis / complications*
  • Encephalitis / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Limbic System / chemistry
  • Limbic System / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / complications*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / metabolism