Abstract
Carcinomatous neuropathy associated with neoplasm has been well known since Denny-Brown reported two cases in 1948, but carcinomatous neuropathy associated with squamous cell carcinoma is rare. The neuropathy associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma has never been reported. This is the case of a 35 year old female whose recurrent nesopharyngeal carcinoma was treated. After admission, she complained of progressive limb weakness, and after ten days she was completly paralysed, and complained of dyspnea due to weakness of the respiratory muscles. Direct invasion of the spinal cord was not detected by radiological examination. Radiation induced neuropathy was considered unlikely because of the acute and violent clinical course. Cerebrospinal fluid test showed protein-cell dissociation and elevated IgG. From these findings, it was considered that some immunological disorders may be related to the pathogenesis. It is suggested that this disorder might be caused by remote influence of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma or by an immunological dificiency.
