Abstract
Neurologic symptoms are commonly seen in patients with cancer and can be among the
most challenging to diagnose and manage. It is often difficult to determine if new
neurologic symptoms are secondary to direct effects of a malignant lesion, systemic
complications of disease, paraneoplastic disorders, or side effects of cancer treatment
itself. However, early diagnosis and treatment of each of these conditions can improve
patients' quality of life and long-term functional outcomes. In this review, we describe
a systematic approach to the diagnosis of new neurologic symptoms in patients with
known malignancy. We have categorized the neurologic complications of cancer through
a mechanistic approach, with an emphasis on ascertaining underlying pathophysiology
to guide treatment choice. This review focuses on the acute neurologic complications
of cancer that require hospital admission.
Keywords
metastases - paraneoplastic - CAR-T - immunotherapy - neurologic complications
