Determination of Paraneoplastic neuropathy in newly diagnosed breast tumor patients

The presence of paraneoplastic neuropathy in newly diagnosed breast tumor patients will be investigated. Aim of study is conduce of early diagnosis of the disease and new biomarkers responsible for the pathogenesis to be identify.

Thirty-two patients admitted to the Oncology outpatient clinic with newly diagnosed breast cancer were included in the study. After the neurological examination of the patients, Lanss neuropathic pain scale and blood tests were performed. Before chemotherapy all patients underwent electromyography (EMG). Two tubes of 5 cc of venous blood were obtained by screening onconeuronal antibodies.

Patients included in the study; 1 (3.1%) grade 1, 14 (43.8%) grade 2, 17 (53.1%) grade 3 invasive breast cancer was diagnosed. Perineural invasion was detected in 5 (15.6%) patients. Progesterone receptor positivity was found in 26 (81.2%) patients and estrogen receptor positivity was found in 27 (84.4%) patients. In 7 (21.9%) patients, CERBB2 was positive for Ki 67 in 25 (78.1%) patients. Neuropathic findings were present in 6 (18.8%) patients. Sensory neuropathy was detected by electrophsiologic tests in only 2 (6.2%) patients. A total of 12 (37.5%) patients had onconeuroneal antibody positivity. Antibody positivity was significantly higher in patients with high grade tumor (p = 0.008).

Paraneoplastic neuropathies can be confused with neuropathies due to non-cancerous causes both clinically and electrophysiologically. When approaching paraneoplastic neuropathies, pathological findings should be carefully reviewed and evaluated with other findigs.It should be remembered that an underlying breast tumor may be present in women with cancer-related neuropathic complaints.