P/Q-type calcium channel antibodies, Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome and survival in small cell lung cancer

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology Vol. 164; no. 1; pp. 161 - 165
• Main Authors: Wirtz, Paul W., Lang, Bethan, Graus, Francesc, van den Maagdenberg, Arn M.J.M., Saiz, Albert, de Koning Gans, Pia A., Twijnstra, Albert, Verschuuren, Jan J.G.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2005
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Autoantibodies - blood; Blotting, Western - methods; Calcium Channels, N-Type - immunology; Carcinoma, Small Cell - blood; Carcinoma, Small Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Small Cell - immunology; Carcinoma, Small Cell - mortality; Cohort Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunoprecipitation - methods; Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome - blood; Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome - epidemiology; Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome - immunology; Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome; Male; Middle Aged; P/Q-type calcium channel antibody; Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration; Radioimmunoassay - methods; Retrospective Studies; Small cell lung carcinoma; Spain - epidemiology; Survival; Spain; P/Q-type calcium channel antibody; Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration; Small cell lung carcinoma; Survival; Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2005.04.001

To assess the survival impact of the presence of P/Q-type calcium channel antibodies in patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), we examined the frequency of the antibodies and Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) in 148 consecutive patients with SCLC, and in 30 patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and SCLC, and studied their relation with survival. In both series, only patients with LEMS had a remarkably long survival, whereas presence of the antibodies without LEMS did not result in a better prognosis.