Prognostic Effect of Early Treatment of Paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis in a Patient with Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome (pns) is an uncommon manifestation of cancer and may present before any symptoms of malignant disease. This syndrome occurs in fewer than 1 of every 10,000 patients diagnosed with a malignancy. Anti-neural antibodies have been associated with pns, suggesting that this condition may reflect immune mechanisms. Depending on the region of the nervous system that has been affected, pns can have a number of manifestations. Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (ple) stems from involvement of the limbic system and may present with seizures and changes in mood, memory, and personality. The present report describes the case of a 55-year-old man presenting with ple in the setting of small-cell lung cancer, with subsequent improvement of his neurologic symptoms. The value of rapid diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of this syndrome are discussed.