[Immunology in the clinical practice. XVI. Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system: pathogenesis and diagnosis].

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are believed to result from ectopic expression of onconeural antigens by tumours. The resulting immune response is not only directed against the tumour but also cross-reacts with the same or similar antigens in the nervous system. The immune response generates high titred autoantibodies that are associated with specific tumours and neurological syndromes. Paraneoplastic autoantibodies help diagnose neurological syndromes and help direct the search for an underlying tumour. In paraneoplastic syndromes, the course of the tumour is relatively mild. Detection of the autoantibodies might lead to early diagnosis and immunomodulation and anti-tumour treatment before irreversible neuronal cell loss and deficits set in.