Paraneoplastic syndrome (patient information)
|
Paraneoplastic syndrome |
|
Paraneoplastic syndrome On the Web |
|---|
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Paraneoplastic syndrome |
Template:WikiDoc Sources
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Gertrude Djouka, M.D.[2]
Overview
A paraneoplastic syndrome is a disease or symptom that is the consequence of the presence of cancer in the body, but is not due to the local presence of cancer cells. These phenomena are mediated by humoral factors (by hormones or cytokines) excreted by tumor cells or by an immune response against the tumor. Sometimes the symptoms of paraneoplastic syndromes show even before the diagnosis of a malignancy.
Causes
- Paraneoplastic syndromes are caused by your cancer making hormones or your immune system making antibodies (substances that protect your body against certain infection) that flow through your blood
- Paraneoplastic syndromes cause different symptoms depending on the tissues and organs they occur in
- About 1 out of 5 people with cancer get a paraneoplastic syndrome—it's most common with lung cancer
What are the symptoms of paraneoplastic syndromes?
General symptoms
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Skin symptoms
- Itching
- Skin flushing or blushing, causing your face, neck, or upper chest to become warm and red
- You may get noncancerous skin bumps or shingles (a painful rash of fluid-filled blisters caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox)
Neurologic (brain, spinal cord, and nerve) symptoms
- Weakness or loss of strength
- Loss of feeling
- Slower reflexes
- Trouble using different parts of your body the way you want, such as your arms or legs
- Trouble speaking
- Dizziness
- Double vision (when you see 2 of the same object) or being unable to control your eye movements
The cancer can cause these symptoms without pushing on your nerves or spinal cord
Endocrine (hormone system) symptoms
- Weakness
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure or heart valve problems
- Confusion
- Kidney problems
- Red, warm skin
- Wheezing
- Diarrhea
Other symptoms
- Muscle swelling that causes weakness and soreness
- Painful swelling of your joints that may change the shape of your fingers and toes
- Changes to your blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets)