[Case of anti P/Q type VGCC antibody positive small lung cell carcinoma that occured with subacute cerebellar degeneration, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, and brainstem encephalitis]

Brain Nerve. 2008 Dec;60(12):1470-4.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

A 62-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of rapidly progressive dysarthria, truncal ataxia, and gait disturbance. High titers of the ProGRP and anti-P/Q-type VGCC antibody were detected in the serum. High accumulation of [18F] was detected at the hilus of the left lung on [18F]-FDG-PET scan. A high-frequency repetitive stimulation test of the median nerve yielded an incremental response. On the basis of these findings, a diagnosis of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) associated with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) was diagnosed. After intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg), methylprednisolone (m-PSL) pulse therapy, and other multidisciplinary concurrent treatments, a partial regression of the SCLC and a significant improvement in neurological symptoms were observed. However, ataxia relapsed and brainstem encephalitis developed 6 months later. A marginal improvement in neurological symptoms was observed with IVIg, m-PSL pulse therapy, and intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy (IVCY). SCLC also recurred later. We hypothesized that VGCC of the brainstem was damaged by anti-P/Q-type VGCC antibody.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Brain Stem*
  • Calcium Channels, P-Type / immunology*
  • Calcium Channels, Q-Type / immunology*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Encephalitis / diagnosis
  • Encephalitis / etiology*
  • Encephalitis / therapy
  • Humans
  • Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / etiology*
  • Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / complications*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / etiology*
  • Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / therapy
  • Peptide Fragments / blood
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Recombinant Proteins / blood
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / complications*
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / diagnosis
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / immunology
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Calcium Channels, P-Type
  • Calcium Channels, Q-Type
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (31-98)