Immunotherapeutic approaches to paraneoplastic neurological disorders

The review presents an overview on the pathogenesis of paraneoplastic neurological disorders (PNDs) and the current therapeutic immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory strategies used in these patients. PNDs are disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system in cancer patients, where the disturbances are not due to a local effect of the tumour or its metastases. Most of these clinically, well-defined syndromes in adults are associated with lung cancer (especially small cell lung cancer), lymphomas and gynaecological tumours. Since autoantibodies directed against proteins expressed in neurons and tumour cells have been found, PNDs are suspected to be autoimmune. In neuromuscular PND, immunosuppressive therapies, plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins are effective treatments. In contrast, central nervous system PNDs seen in adults are by far the most problematic group to treat. With exception of the stiff-man syndrome, immunosuppression appears to have little effect on these neurological disorders. Tumour therapy stabilises PNDs but does not cause improvement. Plasmapheresis reduces the autoantibody titre in the sera of these patients but, like tumour therapy, does not lead to a clinical improvement. In children with paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins may lead to a complete or partial remission of PNDs.