Paraneoplastic Neurologic Symptoms in a Pediatric Patient with Hodgkin Lymphoma

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes are exceedingly rare, and often difficult to recognize clinically. Paraneoplastic achalasia is a condition characterized by new-onset dysphagia that is unrelated to tumor burden, most often due to the development of auto-immune antibodies targeting esophageal tissue. Due to the rarity of this condition, diagnosis is often delayed, leading to increased time to treatment. Here we report a case of a rare paraneoplastic achalasia in a female child with EBV + Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), review literature describing paraneoplastic achalasia, and discuss treatment strategies for improving clinical outcome in these patients.

Automated summary

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes, such as paraneoplastic achalasia, are rare conditions that are often challenging to diagnose promptly. This case study presents a rare case of paraneoplastic achalasia in a female child with EBV + Hodgkin lymphoma, highlighting the importance of timely recognition and discussing potential treatment strategies to improve clinical outcomes.