Screening for antibodies against the Zic4 antigen is used to screen patients with possible paraneoplastic syndrome due to small cell lung cancer.
Antibodies against Zic4 may occur in paraneoplastic neurological diseases associated with small cell lung cancer with or without neurological symptoms. Most patients with positive Zic4 antibodies also have antibodies against the Hu and CV2 antigens. Patients who only have antibodies against the Zic4 antigen usually show symptoms of cerebral degeneration. Patients who have a combination of antibodies against Zic4 and other autoantibodies usually suffer from a wider range of symptoms.
See also: Anti-Neural Antibodies
