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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Case report

Anti-Hu Antibody Associated Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration in Head and Neck Cancer

Authors: Florian Huemer, Thomas Melchardt, Wolfgang Tränkenschuh, Daniel Neureiter, Gerhard Moser, Teresa Magnes, Lukas Weiss, Alexander Schlattau, Clemens Hufnagl, Gerda Ricken, Romana Höftberger, Richard Greil, Alexander Egle

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Paraneoplastic syndromes are most frequently associated with small cell lung carcinoma, hematologic and gynecologic malignancies while reports in head and neck cancer are rare.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 60-year old female patient who developed paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration upon locoregional recurrence of a poorly differentiated spindle cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus. The neurological symptoms, especially ataxia, stabilized after resection of tumor recurrence and concomitant chemoradiotherapy whereas anti-Hu-antibodies remained positive. Despite the unfavorable prognosis of paraneoplastic neurological disorders associated with onconeural antibodies, the patient achieved long-standing stabilization of neurological symptoms.

Conclusion

We report the first patient with anti-Hu antibodies and paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration associated with a spindle cell carcinoma of the head and neck. We recommend that evaluation of neurological symptoms in patients with this tumor entity should also include paraneoplastic syndromes as differential diagnoses and suggest early extensive screening for onconeural antibodies.
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Metadata
Title
Anti-Hu Antibody Associated Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors
Florian Huemer
Thomas Melchardt
Wolfgang Tränkenschuh
Daniel Neureiter
Gerhard Moser
Teresa Magnes
Lukas Weiss
Alexander Schlattau
Clemens Hufnagl
Gerda Ricken
Romana Höftberger
Richard Greil
Alexander Egle
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-015-2020-4

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