Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of stomach presenting with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration syndrome

Paraneoplastic syndromes are most often diagnosed in the setting of a known malignancy. It is not uncommon for a paraneoplastic disorder to develop before a cancer is identified. While syndrome of cerebellar degeneration has been identified as a paraneoplastic manifestation of Hodgkin's lymphoma, thymoma, lung and breast cancer, ovarian and testicular tumors, melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, follicular lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of stomach, its association with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma has not been established previously. This case report describes the primary presentation with signs of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration as the only manifestation of an underlying diffuse large B-cell lymphoma making it the first of its kind to be formally reported. Furthermore, it also includes the identification of associated paraneoplastic antibodies for this particular syndrome.