Regression of small-cell lung carcinoma in patients with paraneoplastic neuronal antibodies

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 341; no. 8836; pp. 21 - 22
• Main Authors: Darnell, R.B., DeAngelis, L.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 02.01.1993; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Antibodies - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Small Cell - immunology; Humans; Immunity (Disease); Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - immunology; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous - immunology; Nervous System Diseases - immunology; Neurons, Afferent - immunology; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - immunology; Pneumology; Tumors; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Case study; Human; Nervous system diseases; Neuron; Respiratory disease; Antibody; Lung; Spontaneous; Regression; Evolution; Paraneoplastic syndrome; Oat cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)92485-C

We describe three patients with known or suspected small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, and antineuronal antibodies who had unusually benign clinical courses. One patient survived 8 years free of disease and was positive for the anti-Hu antibody. A second patient survived 6 years after spontaneous tumour regression and had an atypical antineuronal antibody. A third patient with both the anti-Hu and atypical antineuronal antibody had spontaneous regression of a lung mass. All three patients had a subacute sensory neuropathy. Since paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies also bind to tumour cells, these cases suggest that some (paraneoplastic) neurological syndromes without identifiable tumour may result from immune-mediated eradication of tumour cells.