Lymphoma-associated dysimmune polyneuropathies

• Lymphoma is a group of lymphatic system malignancies.
• A complex inter-relationship exists between lymphoma and autoimmunity.
• Peripheral nervous system abnormalities occur in 5% of lymphoma patients.
• Autoimmune neuropathy occurs rarely in lymphoma patients.
• Accurate neuropathy diagnosis is important for correct treatment plan.

Lymphoma consists of a variety of malignancies of lymphocyte origin. A spectrum of clinical peripheral neuropathy syndromes with different disease mechanisms occurs in about 5% of lymphoma patients. There exists a complex inter-relationship between lymphoproliferative malignancies and autoimmunity. An imbalance in the regulation of the immune system presumably underlies various immune-mediated neuropathies in patients with lymphoma. This article reviews lymphoma and more-or-less well-defined dysimmune neuropathy subgroups that are caused by humoral and/or cell-mediated immune disease mechanisms directed against known or undetermined peripheral nerve antigens.