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Anti-Hu is one of several antibodies detected in the serum of patients with neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes. Anti-Hu antibody causes either a syndrome of encephalomyelitis or sensory neuropathy. The underlying cancer is usually small cell cancer of the lung. Anti-Hu antibody causes a spectrum of paraneoplastic neurologic disorders. Most frequent are pure sensory, predominantly autonomic, and mixed sensorimotor neuropathies. Some patients may present with gastroparesis or intestinal obstruction. Small cell lung carcinoma is almost always present, but may be difficult to find. Approximately 15% of patients will have another tumor coexisting with small cell lung carcinoma. Most patients have a long history of cigarette smoking. These syndromes occur twice as frequently in women than in men. Anti-Hu has also been detected in children with intestinal dysmotility, cerebellar ataxia, and brainstem encephalitis with and without neuroblastoma. Anti-Hu is not detected in the serum or CSF of healthy individuals and is very infrequent in patients who have cancer without neurological symptoms. Anti-Hu is detected in 5 to 10% of patients with small cell lung carcinoma who do not have a paraneoplastic syndrome. Anti-Hu is not recommended as a screening test for lung cancer. Specimen requirement is one red top or SST tube of blood. The test can also be performed on CSF. Reference Range is < 1:60 in serum and < 1:2 in CSF. |
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