[Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes: from the diagnosis of exclusion to the use of immunological and molecular markers].

For many years paraneoplastic neurological syndromes have been identified through the exclusion of other neurological complications in patients with cancer. The discovery that many paraneoplastic syndromes are associated with immunological reactions allows a specific and comprehensive definition of these disorders, which often can be promptly recognized by the serological detection of antineuronal antibodies. In a significant number of paraneoplastic syndromes the genes coding for the target onconeuronal antigens have been cloned and their functions are being elucidated. This study reviews the pathogenic mechanisms of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes and addresses the most frequently asked questions regarding their diagnosis and treatment.