[Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes with reference to anti-neuronal autoantibodies]

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are thought to be caused by autoimmune processes triggered by the cancer and directed against antigens common to both the cancer and nervous system. There are several clinical phenotypes in combinations with the neurological syndromes, origin of cancer and the specific autoantibodies. In most patients, the neurological disorder develops before the cancer becomes clinically overt together with autoantibodies. As these antibodies are associated with a restricted range of cancers, the presence of the antibodies requires physicians in charge to search the underlying cancers. The early cancer treatment and active immunotherapy tended to ameliorate the neurological symptoms, especially in those harboring antibodies against cell surface antigens like NMDAR. VGKC, VGCC. The group of PNS having antibodies against intracellular antigens might be caused via cytotoxic T cell activation.