Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) is a potential medical emergency. The Otolaryngologist plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of BVCP and must consider a broad differential diagnosis. We present a rare case of BVCP secondary to anti-Hu paraneoplastic syndrome. Case...

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Main Authors: Jeffrey C. Yeung, C. Elizabeth Pringle, Harmanjatinder S. Sekhon, Shaun J. Kilty, Kristian Macdonald
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Otolaryngology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2868190
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author Jeffrey C. Yeung
C. Elizabeth Pringle
Harmanjatinder S. Sekhon
Shaun J. Kilty
Kristian Macdonald
author_facet Jeffrey C. Yeung
C. Elizabeth Pringle
Harmanjatinder S. Sekhon
Shaun J. Kilty
Kristian Macdonald
author_sort Jeffrey C. Yeung
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) is a potential medical emergency. The Otolaryngologist plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of BVCP and must consider a broad differential diagnosis. We present a rare case of BVCP secondary to anti-Hu paraneoplastic syndrome. Case Presentation. A 58-year-old female presented to an Otolaryngology clinic with a history of progressive hoarseness and dysphagia. Flexible nasolaryngoscopy demonstrated BVCP. Cross-sectional imaging of the brain and vagus nerves was negative. An antiparaneoplastic antibody panel was positive for anti-Hu antibodies. This led to an endobronchial biopsy of a paratracheal lymph node, which confirmed the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer. Conclusion. Paraneoplastic neuropathy is a rare cause of BVCP and should be considered when more common pathologies are ruled out. This is the second reported case of BVCP as a presenting symptom of paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to small cell lung cancer.
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series Case Reports in Otolaryngology
spelling doaj-art-ead8a8621ad0419686f2946518e162322025-02-03T01:33:26ZengWileyCase Reports in Otolaryngology2090-67652090-67732016-01-01201610.1155/2016/28681902868190Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature ReviewJeffrey C. Yeung0C. Elizabeth Pringle1Harmanjatinder S. Sekhon2Shaun J. Kilty3Kristian Macdonald4Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDivision of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, CanadaIntroduction. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) is a potential medical emergency. The Otolaryngologist plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of BVCP and must consider a broad differential diagnosis. We present a rare case of BVCP secondary to anti-Hu paraneoplastic syndrome. Case Presentation. A 58-year-old female presented to an Otolaryngology clinic with a history of progressive hoarseness and dysphagia. Flexible nasolaryngoscopy demonstrated BVCP. Cross-sectional imaging of the brain and vagus nerves was negative. An antiparaneoplastic antibody panel was positive for anti-Hu antibodies. This led to an endobronchial biopsy of a paratracheal lymph node, which confirmed the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer. Conclusion. Paraneoplastic neuropathy is a rare cause of BVCP and should be considered when more common pathologies are ruled out. This is the second reported case of BVCP as a presenting symptom of paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to small cell lung cancer.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2868190
spellingShingle Jeffrey C. Yeung
C. Elizabeth Pringle
Harmanjatinder S. Sekhon
Shaun J. Kilty
Kristian Macdonald
Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
Case Reports in Otolaryngology
title Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
title_full Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
title_fullStr Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
title_full_unstemmed Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
title_short Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis and Cervicolumbar Radiculopathy as the Presenting Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review
title_sort bilateral vocal cord paralysis and cervicolumbar radiculopathy as the presenting paraneoplastic manifestations of small cell lung cancer a case report and literature review
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2868190
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