Long-term survival in paraneoplastic Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome

Abstract

Improved SCLC tumor survival seen in patients with LEMS and SCLC may not be due solely to lead time bias, given that survival advantage remains after allowing for other prognostic factors and that the same degree of survival advantage is not seen in patients with paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes other than LEMS presenting before SCLC diagnosis.

Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome developing post‐diagnosis of small‐cell lung cancer

“…In a series of 50 patients, muscle ache or stiffness was the presenting symptom in 18% . Although some studies suggest there is a survival advantage with SCLC‐associated LEMS, our patient had aggressive disease with the development of LEMS as a paraneoplastic phenomenon of disease progression, while on treatment.…”

“…Maddison et al . found a survival advantage for patients with SCLC diagnosed with LEMS that remained after taking into account independent prognostic variables . It is unclear whether this survival advantage is due to lead‐time bias .…”

Calcium channel autoimmunity: Cerebellar ataxia and lambert‐eaton syndrome coexisting

“…Historically, survival with SCLC has been observed to be longer in patients who have LES than in those without LES, similarly to our series. In a recent analysis of 313 patients with SCLC in the United Kingdom, longer survival was demonstrated for patients with SCLC and LES than for patients with SCLC without LES, even after accounting for lead‐time bias (18 months vs. 9.5 months) . Survival in a large series of patients with autoimmune ataxia was 76% at last follow‐up (median 25 months, range, 2–223), but 75% of deaths occurred in the paraneoplastic group .…”

“…Approximately 50% of cases are paraneoplastic, with small‐cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) being the most common cancer association. Similarly to other paraneoplastic neurologic diseases, the symptoms of LES usually appear before the discovery of an underlying malignancy . The presynaptic impairment of neuromuscular transmission is confirmed and defined by electromyography (EMG).…”

“…Similarly to other paraneoplastic neurologic diseases, the symptoms of LES usually appear before the discovery of an underlying malignancy. 2 The presynaptic impairment of neuromuscular transmission is confirmed and defined by electromyography (EMG).…”