A review of the therapy of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes

The therapy of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes remains unclear and warr ants a systematic review of the literature. Reports in English and foreign language literature were abstracted. Data were sorted by the primary parane oplastic neurologic syndrome, the primary malignancy, and the methods of tr eatment. Neurologic improvement follows surgical, chemotherapeutic, and rad iation treatments. Adjuvant immunosuppressive therapy with steroids, plasma pheresis, or immunoglobulin may help stabilize the progression of neurologi c symptoms. Syndromes characterized by inflammation or neurotransmitter pro duction without neuronal loss are most responsive to therapy. While treatme nt of the underlying cancer with appropriate surgery, chemotherapy, and rad iation is recommended, the paraneoplastic syndrome should probably be manag ed with immunosuppressive therapy.