Paraneoplastic syndromes in patients with cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx.

Paraneoplastic syndromes may be the first sign of a malignancy. They are systemic, nonmetastatic manifestations associated with a variety of malignant neoplasms and occurring in a minority of cancer patients. These associations of symptoms and signs are not directly related to the site or local manifestations of a malignant tumor or its metastases, but their recognition may facilitate the detection of malignancies or recurrences. Paraneoplastic syndromes are categorized into 6 types: dermatologic or cutaneous, endocrine, hematologic, neurologic, osteoarticular or rheumatologic, and ocular. Different oncotypes have rarely been associated with paraneoplastic syndromes in patients with cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx. The world literature has been reviewed.