Neuronal Antibodies

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes can be associated with the prescence of neuronal antibodies. These are disorders of the nervous system associated with but not directly related to a primary tumour or its metastases. They can affect the nervous system causing a variety of central and peripheral nervous system syndromes that are often far more debilitating than cancer itself. The paraneoplastic symptoms can develop months or even years before the cancer can be detected, symptoms can develop rapidly over days, weeks or months rather than the expected development over years. The disability to the nervous system is often extremely severe with effects such as ataxia, dysarthria, dysphagia and nystagmus. We can detect up to six different antibodies which include anti-Hu, anti-Yo (Purkinje cell), anti-Ri, anti-Tr, anti-amphiphysin and anti-CV2/CRMP-5.