Abstract
Paraneoplastic causes are a rare but important diagnostic consideration when evaluating myelopathy because neurologic symptoms may herald a diagnosis of cancer. Spinal cord MRI findings of longitudinally extensive, symmetric, tract-specific T2-signal changes occasionally with gadolinium enhancement are characteristic. Detection of neural-specific autoantibodies assists in confirming the diagnosis and guides the cancer search. Initial management involves detection and treatment of the underlying cancer. Combinations of immunotherapies are typically recommended but evidence-based therapeutic guidelines are lacking and morbidity remains high. Autoimmune myelopathies may also occur in association with neural-specific autoantibodies without an underlying cancer and in association with systemic autoimmune disorders.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 307-318 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Neurologic clinics |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2013 |
Keywords
- Autoimmune
- Myelopathy
- Paraneoplastic
- Spinal cord
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology