Paraneoplastic rheumatic disorders: a narrative review.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Oncology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Paraneoplastic syndromes (PS) are a diverse group of conditions indirectly caused by cancer.
• Their complex and often unknown pathogenetic mechanisms pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
• Crucially, PS frequently precede malignancy diagnosis, highlighting their importance in early cancer detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the primary rheumatic manifestations of paraneoplastic syndromes.
• To underscore the significance of recognizing rheumatic PS for timely cancer diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on paraneoplastic syndromes with rheumatologic manifestations.
• Synthesis of current understanding regarding the relationship between rheumatic diseases and underlying neoplasms.

Main Results:

• Rheumatic paraneoplastic syndromes constitute a significant category of PS.
• These syndromes can serve as early indicators of occult malignancies.

Conclusions:

• Early identification of rheumatic paraneoplastic syndromes is vital for initiating appropriate oncologic work-up.
• Further research into the pathogenetic mechanisms of PS is warranted to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.