PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Paul Gozzard
AU  - Paul Maddison
TI  - Which antibody and which cancer in which paraneoplastic syndromes?
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp.2010.224105
DP  - 2010 Oct 01
TA  - Practical Neurology
PG  - 260--270
VI  - 10
IP  - 5
4099  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/10/5/260.short
4100  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/10/5/260.full
SO  - Pract Neurol2010 Oct 01; 10
AB  - Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes can be associated with the presence of onconeural antibodies. These antibodies are the result of an immune response against a tumour that is ectopically expressing a neuronal antigen. The ‘classical’ onconeural antibodies (anti-Hu, Yo, Ma2, CRMP-5, amphiphysin and Ri) are directed against intracellular antigens and are strongly associated with underlying malignancy. By contrast, onconeural antibodies directed against cell surface antigens (eg, anti-NMDA, VGKC, AChR) have a weaker tumour association. This article gives a practical overview of the tumour associations, and the neurological associations, of the onconeural antibodies. There is also guidance on how to investigate occult malignancy in antibody positive cases.