Can antibodies in serum predict the presence of microscopic tumors?
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How can the mere presence of an antibody in serum predict a tumor when it is only microscopic? This is possible in patients with certain paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS) as shown by Mathew et al.1 in this issue of Neurology.
Since the first description of antineuronal antibodies (anti-Hu) in 1984 by Posner et al., the association of a neurologic syndrome, an antineuronal antibody, and a microscopic or relatively biologically benign tumor have frequently been recognized.2
Mathew et al. describe six patients with anti-Ma2/Ta antibody whose clinical findings predicted a testicular tumor even though diagnostic tests had been negative. In the face of clinical progression, orchiectomy was performed and a microscopic tumor was identified.1
This article highlights several important clinical points.
The high specificity of well-defined antineuronal antibodies.
Anti-Ma2/Ta is indeed a highly specific marker for the presence …
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