The Study of Immune Cell (T Cell) Activity in Patients With Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes

Paraneoplastic Syndromes Clinical Trial

Official title: Killer T Cell Activity in the Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The investigators believe that T cells, cells that are a part of the immune system, are what are causing the neurological problems while also attacking tumor cells. This protocol studies the clinical status of patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorder (PND) as well as their blood to understand the relationship between their neurological disease, their cancer, and their immune system.

Clinical Trial Description

Patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorders (PNDs) provide a unique model for studying tumor immunity and neuronal autoimmunity. We hypothesize that T lymphocyte autoimmune dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of the paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, and that killer T cells are involved in the targeting and successful killing of tumor cells in these cancer patients. Furthermore, we postulate that this activity may provide a model for autoimmune brain disease. We will assess the immune responses in PND patients, correlate these with the clinical data (time course of disease, symptoms and signs, disability), and collect and archive clinical data, serum and cells from PND patients for current and future studies into the basic immune system phenomenon present in PND patients. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Paraneoplastic Syndromes
• Syndrome

• NCT number: NCT00327236
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Rockefeller University
• Status: Completed
• Start date: January 1995
• Completion date: February 2018