Neoplastic fever: all who shiver are not infected

Excerpt

Paraneoplastic syndromes can suggest the presence of an underlying neoplasm, and on occasion, can be the initial or presenting manifestation(s) of neoplastic disease. They include syndromes such as hypertrophic osteoarthropathy and clubbing, refractory anemia, encephalopathy, necrotizing myelopathy, subacute motor and/or sensory neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, Raynaud’s syndrome, and dermatomyositis. Neoplasms that are frequently associated with paraneoplastic syndromes include small cell lung cancer, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thymoma, breast, ovarian, renal, and gastrointestinal malignancies. Fever is also considered a paraneoplastic syndrome, and any unexplained fever that persists for more than 10–14 days should include cancer among its possible causes. …