Subacute cerebellar degeneration as paraneoplastic syndrome: initial symptom of breast cancer with HER2 overexpression

Clin Breast Cancer. 2006 Apr;7(1):79-80. doi: 10.3816/cbc.2006.n.016.

Abstract

We report the case of a patient with subacute cerebellar degeneration presenting as paraneoplastic syndrome, preceding the final diagnosis of breast cancer. The tumor had high HER2 overexpression, so a weekly regimen of paclitaxel/trastuzumab was started after surgery of the primary breast tumor. Negativity of specific antineuronal antibodies and clinical stabilization of the patient was achieved after 12 cycles of treatment. The interest of this case is the unusual presentation and the targeted therapeutic approach that has been used.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / drug therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use
  • Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / diagnosis*
  • Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration / drug therapy
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Postmenopause
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Trastuzumab

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab
  • Paclitaxel