Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cerebellar Disorders

  • Conference paper
Neurological Adverse Reactions to Anticancer Drugs

Part of the book series: ESO Monographs ((ESO MONOGRAPHS))

  • 30 Accesses

Abstract

Signs of cerebellar dysfunction are common in patients with cancer. “Cerebellar” signs may vary from slight unsteadiness of gait, often attributed to simple “weakness”, to a full blown cerebellar syndrome characterised by truncal and appendicular ataxia, dysarthria and nystagmus. Antineoplastic agents are not a common cause of cerebellar dysfunction; thus, when the oncologist encounters a patient suffering from gait ataxia or other neurological signs suggesting cerebellar dysfunction, he is obliged to search carefully for other causes before attributing the phenomenon to drug neurotoxicity. Because metabolic and metastatic disorders are more common causes of cerebellar dysfunction than are antineoplastic agents, this chapter considers not only the cerebellar toxicity of antineoplastic and related agents, but also other important causes of cerebellar dysfunction occurring in patients with cancer. A recent monograph reviews cerebellar physiology and its disorder [1].

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Plaitakis A: Cerebellar degenerations. Clinical Neurobiology. Klouwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Brierley JB: Hypoxic brain damage. In: Rose FC, Behan PO (eds) Animal Models of Neurological Disease. Turnbridge Wells, Pitman Medical 1980 pp 338–346

    Google Scholar 

  3. Siesjo BK: Hypoglycemia, brain metabolism and brain damage. Diabet/Metabol Rev 1988 (4):113–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lee S, Merriam A, Kim T-S, Liebling M, Dickson DW, Moore GRW: Cerebellar degeneration in neuroleptic malignant syndrome: neuropathologic findings and review of the literature concerning heat-related nervous system injury. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1989 (52):387–391

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Victor M, Adams RD, Collins GH: The Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome and Related Neurologic Disorders Due to Alcoholism and Malnutrition. FA Davis Co, Philadelphia 1989

    Google Scholar 

  6. Botez Ml, Gravel J, Attig E, Vezina J-L: Reversible chronic cerebellar ataxia after phenytoin intoxication: Possible role of cerebellum in cognitive thought. Neurology 1985 (35):1152–1157

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Volk B, Kirchgassner N: Damage of Purkinje cell axons following chronic phenytoin administration: an animal model of distal axonopathy. Acta Neuropath 1985 (67):67–74

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hillbom M, Muuronen A, Holm L, Hindmarsh T: The clinical versus radiological diagnosis of alcoholic cerebellar degeneration. J Neurol Sciences 1986 (73):45–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK, Norenberg MD: Cerebellar degeneration in the rat following rapid correction of hyponatremia. Ann Neurol 1981 (10):561–565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Delattre J-Y, Krol G, Thaler HT, Posner JB: Distribution of brain metastases. Arch Neurol 1988 (45):741–744

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wasserstrom WR, Glass JP, Posner JB: Diagnosis and treatment of leptomeningeal metastases from solid tumours: experience with 90 patients. Cancer 1982 (49):759–772

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hammack JE, Posner JB: Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration. In: Plaitakis A (ed) Cerebellar Degenerations. Clinical Neurobiology. Klouwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wessel K, Diener HC, Dichgans J, Thron A: Cerebellar dysfunction in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma: clinical and posturographic findings. J Neurol 1988 (235):290–296

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Schmid AH, Riede UN: A morphometric study of the cerebellar cortex from patients with carcinoma. A contribution on quantitative aspects in carcinotoxic cerebellar atrophy. Acta Neuropath 1974 (28):343–352

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wizniter M, Packer RJ, Rorke LB, Meadows AT: Cerebellar sclerosis in pediatric cancer patients. J Neuro-Oncol 1987 (4):353–360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Moertel CG, Reitemeier RJ, Bolton CF, Shorter RG: Cerebellar ataxia associated with fluorinated pyrimidine therapy. Cancer Chemother Rep 1964 (41):15–17

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Riehl J-L, Brown WJ: Acute cerebellar syndrome secondary to 5-fluorouracil therapy. Neurology 1964 (14):961–967

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gottlieb JA, Luce JK: Cerebellar ataxia with weekly 5-fluorouracil administration. Lancet 1971 (1 ):138–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tuchman M, Stoeckeler JS, Kiang DT, O’Dea RF, Ramnaraine ML, Mirkin BL: Familial pyrimidinemia and pyrimidinuria associated with severe fluorouracil toxicity. Med Intell 1985 (313):245–248

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Heier MS, Fossa SD: Wernicke-Korsakoff-like syndrome in patients with colorectal carcinoma treated with high-dose doxifluridine (5’-dFUrd). Acta Neurol Scand 1986 (73):449–457

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Herzig RH, Hines JD, Herzig GP, Wolff SN, Cassileth PA, Lazarus HM, Adelstein DJ, Brown RA, Coccia PF, Strandjord S, Mazza JJ, Fay J, Phillips GL: Cerebellar toxicity with high-dose cytosine arabinoside. J Clin Oncol 1987 (5):927–932

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gottlieb D, Bradstock K, Koutts J, Robertson T, Lee C, Castaldi P: The neurotoxicity of high-dose cytosine arabinoside is age-related. Cancer 1987 (60):1439–1441

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hwang T-L, Yung A, Estey E, Fields WS: Central nervous sytem toxicity with high-dose Ara-C. Neurology 1985 (35):1475–1479

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Winkelman MD, Hines JD: Cerebellar degeneration caused by high-dose cytosine arabinoside: a clinicopathological study. Ann Neurol 1983 (14):520–527

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Cohen N, Strauss G, Lew R, Silver D, Recht L: Should prophylactic anticonvulsants be administered to patients with newly-diagnosed cerebral metastases? A retrospective analysis. J Clin Oncol 1988 (6):1621–1624

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Chalk JB, Ridgeway K, Tro’r Brophy, Yelland JDN, Eadie MJ: Phenytoin impairs the bioavailability of dexamethasone in neurological and neurosurgical patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1984 (47):1087–1090

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Grossman SA, Sheidler VR, Gilbert MR: Decreased phenytoin levels in patients receiving chemotherapy. Am J Med 1989 (87):505–510

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Carpentieri U, Lockhart LH: Ataxia and athetosis as side effects of chemotherapy with vincristine in non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Cancer Treat Rep 1978 (62):561–562

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bonomi PD, Maidineo J, Morrin B, Wilbanks G Jr., Slayton RE: Phase II trial of hexamethylmelamine in ovarian carcinoma resistant to alkylating agents. Cancer Treat Rep 1979 (63):137–138

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wilson WL, Bisel HF, Cole D, Rochlin D, Ramirez G, Madden R: Prolonged low-dosage administration of hexamethylmelamine (NC 13875). Cancer 1970 (25):568–570

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Stolinksky DC, Solomon J, Pugh RP, Stevens AR, Jacobs EM, Irwin LE, Bateman JR: Clinical experience with procarbazine in Hodgkin’s disease, reticulum cell sarcoma and lymphosarcoma. Cancer 1970 (26):984–988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Rodriguez LA, Prados M, Silver P, Levin VA: Reevaluation of procarbazine for the treatment of recurrent malignant central nervous system tumours. Cancer 1989 (64):2420–2423

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Atkinson K, Biggs J, Darveniza P, Boland J, Concannon A, Dodds A: Spinal cord and cerebellarlike syndromes associated with the use of cyclosporin in human recipients of allogeneic marrow transplants. Transplant Proc 1985 (17):1673–1675

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Thompson CB, Sullivan KM, June CH, Thomas ED: Association between cyclosporin neurotoxicity and hypomagnesaemia. Lancet 1984 (2):1116–1120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Twijnstra A, Ongerboer de Visser BW, van Zanten AP, Hart AAM, Nooyen WJ: Serial lumbar and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid biochemical marker measurements in patients with leptomeningeal metastases from solid and hematological tumours. J Neuro-Oncol 1989 (7):57–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Budman DR, Schulman E, Vinciguerra V et al: A phase I trial of spirogermanium given by infusion on a multiple dosing schedule. Cancer Treat Rep 1982 (66):173–175

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Jerome B. Posner

Authors
  1. Jerome B. Posner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Erasme Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik, 808, 1070, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Jerzy Hildebrand

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Posner, J.B. (1990). Cerebellar Disorders. In: Hildebrand, J. (eds) Neurological Adverse Reactions to Anticancer Drugs. ESO Monographs. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76142-3_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76142-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-76144-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-76142-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation