Anti-Yo antibody-mediated paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration in a man with esophageal adenocarcinoma.

We report a case of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) associated with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and anti-Yo antibodies in a male patient. The patient presented with progressive ataxia, dysarthria, and significant weight loss. Extensive work-up suggested paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome. A wide search for a cancer was undertaken and a small mass was identified in the distal esophagus on upper endoscopy. Biopsies of this lesion revealed well-differentiated invasive adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The endoscopic ultrasound staged the tumor as T3N1M0. Despite trials of multiple therapeutic modalities, the patient's cerebellar dysfunction progressed. This is only the second report of PCD caused by esophageal adenocarcinoma and the fourth report of anti-Yo antibodies occurring in a male patient.