Journal of Neuroimmunology | 2019
Clinical characteristics of patients with paraneoplastic myelopathy
Abstract
Paraneoplastic myelopathy is rare paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. We reviewed patients through medical records system and screened patients who presented with myelopathy, and/or coexisting cancer, and/or onconeural antibodies. Nine patients were identified as paraneoplastic myelopathy presenting with progressive subacute (2/9) or insidious (7/9) myelopathy. CSF abnormalities included elevated protein, 5; pleocytosis, 4; excess oligoclonal bands, 6. Seven patients had onconeural antibody. Cancer was confirmed histopathologically in 6 and diagnosed by PET-CT in 1. Four patients had symmetric, longitudinally extensive grey matter or tract-specific changes on spinal cord MRI. It was associated with significant morbidity and had poor response to treatment.