Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) can occur as a paraneoplastic syndrome. The antibody causing the immune-mediated polyneuropathy may be correlated with tumor activity.
Malignant tumors associated with GBS:
(1) small cell carcinoma of the lung
(2) Hodgkin's disease or malignant lymphoma
(3) lymphocytic or lymphoblastic leukemia, including hairy cell
(4) visceral adenocarcinomas
Features:
(1) The onset of GBS may precede the diagnosis of cancer or may herald a relapse.
(2) The presence of an underlying cancer is associated with a worse neurologic progrnosis.
(3) The patient may respond to plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin and/or therapy of the underlying tumor.
Differential diagnosis:
(1) post-infectious GBS in a patient with cancer
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