Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome

The opsoclonus - myoclonus syndrome ( OMS) - also Kinsbourne syndrome and in English-speaking eye- dancing - dancing feet syndrome - is a disease that can occur as part of a paraneoplastic syndrome as a side effect of various tumor diseases. Described the occurrence is in neuroblastomas and medulloblastomas in children. In adults, it may be an indication of a mammary carcinoma or small cell bronchial carcinoma.

In about half of the children diagnosed with neuroblastoma OMS can be found. In about 2-3% of neuroblastoma patients is an OMS before.

Children with OMS have irregular, uncontrolled movements of eyes ( opsoclonus ) and limbs ( myoclonus ). It looks as though children who have an OMS and neuroblastoma, better chances for tumor suffering, however, is through the OMS still a long-term disability that necessitates intensive medical care and treatment.

Perhaps the OMS because the body often successfully defends against the tumor, but also harm the resulting defense substances to the nervous system is formed. So far there is little information about this special appearance of neuroblastoma.