A new study highlights that neurological symptoms often appear before men are diagnosed with testicular cancer. Symptoms such as loss of balance, hearing problems, and vertigo may be early warning signs of the disease.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied 49 men with testicular germ cell tumors, mostly seminomas, to better understand the link between these tumors and paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS). The median age of patients was 41 years. Most patients (45 of 49) had confirmed PNS, while four had probable cases.
Testing revealed neural antibodies in 94% of patients. The most common was KLHL11-IgG, mainly associated with seminomas, followed by Ma2-IgG, which was linked to nonseminomatous tumors. These antibodies correlated with specific neurological problems. For instance, Ma2-IgG was associated with sleep disturbances and seizures, while KLHL11-IgG was linked to hearing loss and tinnitus.
Most patients (80%) experienced neurological symptoms before their cancer diagnosis. Common symptoms included ataxia (63%), double vision (59%), hearing loss (45%), and vertigo (41%). Nonseminomatous tumors more often caused sleep disturbances and seizures.
Even though cancer treatment was generally successful, with 80% achieving cure or remission, neurological symptoms often persisted. Only 16% improved, 43% stabilized, and 41% worsened despite immunotherapy. Six of the nine deaths in the study were due to neurological complications rather than cancer itself.
The researchers emphasized that early recognition of PNS in younger men could prompt antibody testing and timely cancer diagnosis. Identifying these neurological signs early may help prevent long-term neurological damage, a major cause of illness and death in this group.
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