Myasthenia Gravis Related to Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in skeletal muscles because of the presence of acetylcholine receptor antibodies. These antibodies produce a compromise in the end-plate potential, reducing the safety factor for effective synaptic transmission. Clinically, this manifests as muscle weakness and, in severe cases, respiratory failure. There is widespread knowledge about the association between small cell lung carcinoma and Lambert- Eaton myasthenic syndrome, but not with other neuromuscular disorders, such as myasthenia gravis. We present a patient with small cell lung carcinoma who presented weakness affecting the proximal muscles over the last three years, and electromyography findings suggesting myasthenia gravis. After this electrodiagnosis, analytical tests showed an increase in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. Given these findings, we can affirm that neurophysiological tests provide a significant value in diagnosing myasthenia gravis, as anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies were negative at the moment of the electromyography’s performance. Likewise, it is essential to consider a paraneoplastic syndrome in this type of carcinoma.