Two cases of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis associated with small cell lung cancer and a literature review

In the present study, two cases of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (PLE) associated with small cell lung cancer were reported. Using avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase methods, purified recombinant HuD western blotting and Euroline Neuronal Antigens Profile 2 immunoglobulin G western blotting, it was found that the well-characterized anti-Hu and anti-amphiphysin onconeuronal antibodies were present in the serum/cerebrospinal fluid of the patients. With a review of the literature, it was found that patients with PLE of Chinese Han nationality had two types of clinical manifestations, simple and complex, and that the lesions could also be divided into focal and scalable lesions. Furthermore, the clinical manifestations and lesion scopes were associated with certain types of cancer and antibodies. In addition, it was found that the prognosis for patients with PLE with autoantibodies targeting membrane antigens is improved compared with that for patients with PLE with autoantibodies targeting intracellular antigens, due to an increased sensitivity to immunomodulatory treatments and anti-cancer therapy.