Screening for antibodies against the Yo antigen is used in the investigation of patients with possible paraneoplastic syndrome.
Antibodies against the Yo antigen (also called PCA-1 antibodies or Purkinje 1 cell antigen) are strongly associated with subacute cerebral ataxia in ovarian or breast cancer. Neuropathy can also occur. Neurological symptoms can precede the diagnosis of cancer up to five years earlier.
See also: Anti-Neural Antibodies