Paraneoplastic autoimmunity

Loss of homeostasis is a hallmark of malignant tumorigenesis and autoimmune diseases. Recent studies have implicated apoptotic cell death pathways in initiating and propagating autoimmune diseases in susceptible individuals. During malignancy, however, there is an accumulation of cells resistant to apoptosis. Intriguingly, some patients with malignant tumors develop symptoms that cannot be explained solely on the basis of the effects produced by either the primary tumor or its metastases. The mechanisms responsible for these complex symptoms, known as paraneoplastic autoimmunity, remain the focus of investigation.