Screening and Patient Selection for Suspected Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes

WATCH TIME: 6 minutes | Captions are auto-generated and may contain errors.

This clinical video series, titled “Crossroads in Neuro-Oncology: Understanding Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes,” is a NeurologyLive^® Roundtable Discussion focused on the recognition and management of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS) in patients with cancer. These immune mediated neurologic disorders can present across the cancer continuum and may cause rapid functional decline, underscoring the importance of early identification, appropriate diagnostic evaluation, and coordinated multidisciplinary care.

In collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, neuro-oncology experts Shailee Samir Shah, MD, clinical assistant professor of neurology, and Ditte Primdahl, MD, assistant professor of neurology, joined host Jax DiEugenio to provide a clinical overview of PNS. The discussion covered real-world presentation patterns, diagnostic considerations, screening protocols, and patient selection criteria. The experts also evaluate modern therapeutic interventions and practical management strategies while exploring the evolving treatment landscape for PNS.

In this second episode, Shah and Primdahl outlined strategies for screening and selecting patients with suspected PNS. They emphasized which neurologic presentations in patients with known malignancies suggest a paraneoplastic process rather than treatment-related toxicity. The pair then described how to prioritize malignancy screening when the cancer type or stage is unknown and reviewed the role of antibody testing in guiding management. Finally, the experts discussed factors that increase the likelihood of a paraneoplastic etiology and the challenge of distinguishing PNS from immune-related neurologic adverse events.

Click here to watch more episodes of this video series.