Lung Cancer : Paraneoplastic Syndromes (Robbins pp 746)

These syndromes are associated with bronchogenic carcinoma. There might not be a casual relationship established. For example: if a patient has been diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma of a particular histological type, then you also find these syndromes. These syndromes have been caused by systemic effects of the bronchogenic carcinoma, but are not caused by metastatic disease.

For example: tumours producing ACTH / ADH are usually small cell carcinomas, while tumours producing hypercalcaemia are SCCs. Other systemic manifestations of bronchogenic carcinoma is Lambert-Eaton myasthic syndrome – which causes muscle weakness due to autoimmune antibodies (elicited by tumour ionic channels) against neuronal calcium channels. HPOA is a connectiev tissue disorder associated with bronchogenic carcinoma.

Category: Pathology Notes