Muscle weakness as initial symptom of bronchial carcinoma

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome was diagnosed in three patients, two men aged 55 and 57 and one woman aged 66 years. After a variable time interval a small cell carcinoma of the lung was detected in all three patients. Two already had metastases outside the thorax and died, the other patient was doing well after treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The short survival of patients with a small cell carcinoma requires early diagnosis, and paraneoplastic phenomena such as the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome can be the earliest presenting sign. The syndrome can be diagnosed by electromyography.