Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

A patient of sensorimotor neuropathy with small cell lung carcinoma and anti-GM1 antibody

Takashi Itou, M.D.1), Setsu Enomoto (Nakatani), M.D.1), Yoshihiro Makita, M.D.1), Hiroyuki Enomoto, M.D.1), Kenji Kuroda, M.D.2), Takashi Kimura, M.D.1), Kazuki Hashimoto, M.D.1) and Osamu Yahara, M.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, National Douhoku Hospital
2)Department of Neurology, Asahikawa Kousei Hospital

We reported a 62-year-old woman had sensorimotor neuropathy with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and anti-GM1 antibody. She was admitted with several months history of progressive numbness, walking disturbance and anorexia. Neurologic examination revealed severe numbness and deep sensory disturbance of extremities and body, and mild weakness of distal extremities. Deep tendon reflexes were absent. Her limbs were ataxic. Nerve conduction studies showed no sensory evoked responses. CSF protein was elevated. Sural nerve biopsy revealed severe loss of myelinated fibers and perivascular mononuclear cells surrounding the perineurial vessel. Vasculitic neuropathy was diagnosed, and prednisolone was started, with no benefit. In the clinical course, she developed cough attacks and was found the lymphnode swelling in the mediastinum and supraclavicular fossa, which was diagnosed SCLC. Although anti-Hu antibody were not detected, anti-GM1 antibody was positive. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, with transient improvement. The rare case of the paraneoplastic peripheral neuropathy with SCLC and anti-GM1 antibody was reported.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 42: 878|880, 2002)
key words: sensorimotor neuropathy, small cell lung carcinoma, anti-GM1 antibody, paraneoplastic neuropathy

(Received: 15-Dec-01)