Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

autoimmune paraneoplastic disease

(AW-toh-ih-MYOON PAYR-uh-NEE-oh-PLAS-tik dih-ZEEZ)
A condition that can occur in some people with cancer when the body’s immune system becomes overactive and attacks healthy cells while trying to kill cancer cells. Autoimmune paraneoplastic diseases may cause damage to many different tissues and organs, including the skin, blood, kidneys, nervous system, and muscles and bones. These diseases occur most often in middle-aged adults with thymoma, lymphoma, or cancers of the breast, lung, or ovary. Signs and symptoms may occur before a cancer diagnosis is made.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms