Despite the difficulty of investigating small areas of overlap, the report on motor neuron disease and cancer and Professor Rowland's commentary are important and emphasize several facts. First, the various forms of motor neuron disease are likely heterogeneous, resulting from a number of different causes. Remote effects of cancer may be one cause or contributing factor, and such stones should not lie unturned. Second, symptoms of motor neuron disease may develop before there is clinical evidence of a tumor. The raises the question of how detailed should the search be for an underlying tumor.
Motor neuron syndromes in cancer patients.
Annals of Neurology . Kahana E. Zilber N. Cooper G. Pintov S. Leibowitz Y. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A study of its presentation and prognosis. Journal of Neurology . Motor neuron disease and malignant tumors.