• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Paraneoplastic syndromes: What's the big deal? (Proceedings)

August 1, 2010
Philip Bergman, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (oncology)

Paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are neoplasm-associated alterations in bodily structure and/or function that occur distant to the tumor. They are an extremely diverse group of clinical aberrations that are associated with the non-invasive actions of the tumor.

Paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are neoplasm-associated alterations in bodily structure and/or function that occur distant to the tumor. They are an extremely diverse group of clinical aberrations that are associated with the non-invasive actions of the tumor. In many situations, the PNS parallels the underlying malignancy, and therefore, successful treatment of the tumor leads to disappearance of the PNS. Alternatively, recurrence of the PNS after successful treatment signals recurrence of the tumor, and the return of the PNS often significantly precedes the gross recurrence of the tumor.

PNS are often the first sign of malignancy, or the PNS may be a hallmark of a certain tumor type. Therefore, an understanding and appreciation for the types and causes of these syndromes are paramount for early cancer detection and appropriate therapy. In addition, PNS can cause greater morbidity than that associated with the actual tumor. Unfortunately, some PNS can be so severe that appropriate therapies may not be instituted against the tumor, although the tumor may in fact be readily treatable (e.g. hypercalcemic lymphoma).

Table I: Paraneoplastic Syndromes and Associated Tumors

The causes of PNS are quite variable; however, they are usually caused by the production of small molecules, which are released into the circulation to cause effects at distant sites. In addition, there are many non-endocrine PNS with no known etiology. Though recognized more commonly in human cancer patients, PNS do occur in veterinary medicine. Table 1 summarizes the most common PNS of dogs and cats with the tumors that cause them. This presentation will review the wide range of PNS seen in veterinary oncology with a system-based approach and each system-section contains a brief discussion of comparative aspects to related human PNS when appropriate.

Table 2: Treatment for Hypercalcemia of Malignancy

Advertisement

Selected References

John, W.J., Patchell, R.A., and Foon, K.A. Paraneoplastic Syndromes. In: V.T. DeVita, S. Hellman and S.A. Rosenberg (eds.), Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, pp. 2397-2422, Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers. 1997.

Crowe, S.E. and Oliver, J. Cancer Cachexia. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet, 3: 681-690, 1981.

Weir, E.C., Norrdin, R.W., Matus, R.E., Brooks, M.B., Broadus, A.E., Mitnik, M., Johnston, S.D., and Insogna, K.L. Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy in canine lymphosarcoma. Endocrinology, 122: 602-608, 1988.

Bergman, P.J., Bruyette, D.S., Coyne, B.E., et al. Canine clinical peripheral neuropathy associated with pancreatic islet cell carcinoma. Prog Vet Neurol, 5: 57-62, 1994.

Bergman P.J. Paraneoplastic Syndromes. In: Small Animal Clinical Oncology (3rd Edition), Withrow SJ & MacEwen EG (eds.), WB Saunders Inc., Philadelphia, PA, 2002.

Bergman PJ. Paraneoplastic Syndromes. In: Small Animal Clinical Oncology (4th Edition), Withrow SJ & Vail DM (eds.), Elsevier Saunders Inc., St. Louis, MO, 2007.

Cavana P, Sammartano F, Capucchio MT, Catalano D, Valazza A, Farca AM. Peripheral neuropathy in a cat with renal lymphoma. J Feline Med Surg. 2009 Oct;11(10):869-72. Epub 2009 May 21.

Nishifuji K, Olivry T, Ishii K, Iwasaki T, Amagai M. IgG autoantibodies directed against desmoglein 3 cause dissociation of keratinocytes in canine pemphigus vulgaris and paraneoplastic pemphigus. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2007 Jun 15;117(3-4):209-21. Epub 2007 Feb 16.

Zini E, Glaus TM, Minuto F, Arvigo M, Hauser B, Reusch CE. Paraneoplastic hypoglycemia due to an insulin-like growth factor type-II secreting hepatocellular carcinoma in a dog. J Vet Intern Med. 2007 Jan-Feb;21(1):193-5.

Snead EC. A case of bilateral renal lymphosarcoma with secondary polycythaemia and paraneoplastic syndromes of hypoglycaemia and uveitis in an English Springer Spaniel. Vet Comp Oncol. 2005 Sep;3(3):139-44.

Marconato L, Albanese F, Viacava P, Marchetti V, Abramo F. Paraneoplastic alopecia associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in a cat. Vet Dermatol. 2007 Aug;18(4):267-71.

Related Content:

Oncology
Morris Animal Foundation funds study on environmental toxins and lymphoma
Morris Animal Foundation funds study on environmental toxins and lymphoma
Superficial radiation therapy may serve as promising cutaneous MCT treatment
Superficial radiation therapy may serve as promising cutaneous MCT treatment
VolitionRx publishes new research in PLOS ONE
VolitionRx publishes new research in PLOS ONE

Advertisement

Latest News

Can our Pride panel answer these LGBTQ+ trivia questions?

Creating inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in vet med

Happy Pride Month, Hill's launches Prescription Diet ONC Care, and more

CityVet Celina opens in Prosper, Texas

View More Latest News
Advertisement