As is the case with other paraneoplastic syndromes,[1] PCD is believed to be due to an autoimmune reaction targeted against components of the central nervous system, mostly to Purkinje cells.

[2][3][4] Neurological symptoms may include, among others, dysarthria, truncal, limb and gait ataxia and nystagmus.

Of particular note, PCD symptoms precede the diagnosis of the underlying cancer in the majority of cases,[11] and often present insidiously and progress rapidly for weeks to months to a severely disabled state followed by a variable plateau period that can last for months to years.

[1] Therefore, newly developing cerebellar ataxia should always prompt proper diagnostic measures to exclude PCD.

Tumor removal is still the therapeutic mainstay with very early treatment being essential to prevent irreversible neuronal loss.