Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026

Surgical Treatment of an Endolymphatic Sac Tumor
Published on: May 26, 2023
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration associated with lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the tonsil
Christian Henke1, Johannes Rieger, Sylvia Hartmann
1Department of Neurology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany. Christian.Henke@kgu.de.
Background:
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is a classical tumor-associated, immune-mediated disease typically associated with gynecological malignancies, small-cell lung-cancer or lymphoma.
Case Presentation:
Here we present the case of a 38-year old male with an over 12 months rapidly progressive cerebellar syndrome. Extensive diagnostic workup revealed selective hypermetabolism of the right tonsil in whole-body PET. Histological examination after tonsillectomy demonstrated a lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the tonsil and the tongue base strongly suggesting a paraneoplastic cause of the cerebellar syndrome. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of an association of a lymphoepithelial carcinoma, a rare pharyngeal tumor, with PCD.
Conclusions:
In cases of classical paraneoplastic syndromes an extensive search for neoplasms should be performed including whole-body PET to detect tumors early in the course of the disease.
Related Concept Videos
Tonsillitis I: Introduction
Etiology
Three primary contributing factors have been identified.
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Secondary Lymphoid Organs
The spleen is a vital organ in the lymphatic system, nestled in the upper left side of the abdomen. It is composed of two primary regions: the red pulp and the white pulp, each having distinct functions. The red pulp performs a significant role in blood filtration. It efficiently purges the blood of old or damaged red blood cells and...
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology
Esophageal Achalasia
Cytotoxic Edema: Pathophysiology
