Progressive external ophthalmoplegia: a paraneoplastic manifestation of lymphoma

• Published in: European journal of ophthalmology Vol. 12; no. 4; p. 315
• Main Authors: Ascaso, F J, Torres, M, Bergua, J M, Alvarez, R, Cristóbal, J A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2002
• Subjects: Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Doxorubicin - analogs & derivatives; Doxorubicin - therapeutic use; Humans; Lymph Nodes - metabolism; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphoma, Follicular - complications; Lymphoma, Follicular - diagnosis; Lymphoma, Follicular - drug therapy; Male; Ophthalmoplegia, Chronic Progressive External - diagnosis; Ophthalmoplegia, Chronic Progressive External - drug therapy; Ophthalmoplegia, Chronic Progressive External - etiology; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - diagnosis; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - drug therapy; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - etiology; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Vincristine - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1120-6721
• DOI: 10.1177/112067210201200411

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are well-known sequelae of some malignancies. To our knowledge, a syndrome mimicking progressive external ophthalmoplegia had never been reported preceding the diagnosis of a lymphoma. A 63-year-old man developed progressive external ophthalmoplegia, without any other neurological symptoms, as the initial manifestation of a follicular lymphoma grade III. The ophthalmoplegia resolved after two cycles of combination chemotherapy. The ophthalmologist, when confronted with a progressive external ophthalmoplegia, should consider a neurological paraneoplastic syndrome associated with a tumor as a possible diagnosis.