Liquid Biopsy in Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes

The main objective of the study is to assess whether circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in the peripheral blood of patients with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) by diagnostic leukapheresis (DLA) combined with the CELLSEARCH® System during clinical routine workup. If CTCs can be identified, a detailed molecular genetic analysis will be performed to characterize mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In addition, the study aims to analyze cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in serum of patients. Individuals with PNS and high- or intermediate-risk or GAD65-antibodies with a detectable tumor (PNS+T), PNS patients with high- or intermediate-risk or GAD65-antibodies without detectable tumor (PNS w/o T), and matched tumor patients without PNS (T w/o PNS) will be included in the study.