Overview

Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes

Your immune system’s job is to protect your body. Because cancer cells try to kill healthy cells, your immune system will try to fight them. A paraneoplastic neurological syndrome happens when your immune system attacks your nervous system. Your nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves or muscle.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are rare.

The Role of Immunotherapies

Immunotherapies boost your immune system to help it fight cancer. They include:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)
• Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy
• Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs)
• Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)
• Cancer vaccines

While immunotherapies are effective, they may cause side effects. This includes your immune system targeting and impairing your nervous system. This can cause paraneoplastic neurological syndromes and other symptoms related to neurotoxicity.