Paraneoplastic Syndromes

People with cancer often experience fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, and weight loss. The syndromes below are less common.

Watery diarrhea may result from substances secreted by certain cancers. Certain tumors that involve the intestines may secrete a lot of protein into the stool, causing low protein levels in the bloodstream.

Small cell carcinoma of the lung may secrete a substance that stimulates the adrenal gland Overview of the Adrenal Glands The body has two adrenal glands, one near the top of each kidney. They are endocrine glands, which secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Each adrenal gland has two parts. Medulla: The inner... read more to produce increased levels of the hormone cortisol, which can cause weakness, weight gain, and high blood pressure (Cushing syndrome Cushing Syndrome In Cushing syndrome, the level of corticosteroids is excessive, usually due to taking corticosteroid drugs or overproduction by the adrenal glands. Cushing syndrome usually results from taking... read more ). Small cell carcinoma of the lung may also produce vasopressin, causing water retention, decreased sodium levels, weakness, confusion, and seizures in some people.

Very high calcium levels Hypercalcemia (High Level of Calcium in the Blood) In hypercalcemia, the level of calcium in blood is too high. A high calcium level may result from a problem with the parathyroid glands, as well as from diet, cancer, or disorders affecting... read more in the blood (hypercalcemic syndrome) may occur in people with solid tumors or leukemias. Hypercalcemic syndrome can occur when the cancer secretes into the blood a hormone-like substance (similar to parathyroid hormone) that causes release of calcium from bone. High calcium levels may also result if the cancer directly invades bone, thereby releasing calcium into the bloodstream. As a result of the high calcium levels in the blood, the person develops kidney failure and confusion, which can progress to coma and even death if not recognized and treated promptly.

Excessive production of other hormones, usually by pancreatic carcinoid tumors, can cause carcinoid syndrome Carcinoid Tumors and Carcinoid Syndrome Carcinoid tumors are noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant) growths that sometimes produce excessive amounts of hormone-like substances (such as serotonin), resulting in the carcinoid... read more —flushing, wheezing, diarrhea, and heart valve problems.

Polyneuropathy Polyneuropathy Polyneuropathy is the simultaneous malfunction of many peripheral nerves throughout the body. Infections, toxins, drugs, cancers, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and... read more is a dysfunction of peripheral nerves (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord), resulting in weakness, loss of sensation, and reduced reflexes. Subacute sensory neuropathy is a rare form of polyneuropathy that sometimes develops before the cancer is diagnosed. It causes a disabling loss of sensation and incoordination but little weakness. Guillain-Barré syndrome Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) Guillain-Barré syndrome is a form of polyneuropathy causing muscle weakness, which usually worsens over a few days to weeks, then slowly improves or returns to normal on its own. With treatment... read more is another type of nerve dysfunction that causes a general loss of muscle strength. It is more common in people with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Subacute cerebellar degeneration occurs rarely in patients with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, small cell carcinoma of the lung, or other solid tumors. This disorder may be caused by an autoantibody (an antibody that attacks the body's own tissues) that destroys the cerebellum. Symptoms can include unsteadiness in walking, incoordination of the arms and legs, difficulty speaking, dizziness, and double vision. Symptoms may appear before the cancer is detected.

Uncontrollable eye movements (opsoclonus) and quick contractions of the arms and legs (myoclonus) can occur in some children with neuroblastoma.

Subacute motor neuronopathy occurs in some people with Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The nerve cells of the spinal cord are affected, weakening the arms and legs.

A variety of unusual symptoms may result from antibodies directed against the tumor that also interact with brain tissue to cause a change in mental function, disorientation, vision changes, and muscle weakness.

Eaton-Lambert syndrome Eaton-Lambert Syndrome Eaton-Lambert syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that impairs communication between nerves and muscles, causing weakness. Eaton-Lambert syndrome usually precedes, occurs with, or develops after... read more occurs in some people with small cell carcinoma of the lung. This syndrome is characterized by extreme muscle weakness caused by lack of proper activation of the muscle by the nerve.

Subacute necrotizing myelopathy is a rare syndrome in which rapid loss of neurons in the spinal cord leads to paralysis.

Itching is the most common skin symptom people with cancer have. Flushing is also common.

Polymyositis Autoimmune Myositis Autoimmune myositis causes inflammation and weakness in the muscles (polymyositis) or in the skin and muscles (dermatomyositis). Muscle damage may cause muscle pain and muscle weakness may cause... read more is muscle weakness and soreness resulting from muscle inflammation. When polymyositis is accompanied by skin inflammation, the condition is called dermatomyositis.

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy can occur in people with lung cancer. This syndrome alters the shape of the fingers and toes and can cause painful swelling of some joints.

People with cancer may develop various abnormalities in blood cells. They may have too few red blood cells (anemia Overview of Anemia Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells is low. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that enables them to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all parts... read more ), too many platelets (thrombocythemia Secondary Thrombocythemia Secondary thrombocythemia is excess platelets in the bloodstream that develops as a result of another disorder and rarely leads to excessive blood clotting or bleeding. Platelets (thrombocytes)... read more ), or too many of some types of white blood cells Overview of White Blood Cell Disorders White blood cells (leukocytes) are an important part of the body’s defense against infectious organisms and foreign substances ( the immune system). To defend the body adequately, a sufficient... read more . Cancers of the kidneys or liver may cause the body to produce too many red blood cells, while others may invade the bone marrow and interfere with the production of blood cells (including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).