Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in patients with cancer is understudied. Much of 
what is known-that significant under-recognition and delays in treatment 
exist-comes from studies of alcohol misuse disorders or non-alcohol-related 
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in patients. We investigated the frequency and 
associated features of cancer-related Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in the 
published literature. We included 90 articles reporting on 129 patients. Only 38 
(30%) of 128 patients with data available exhibited the entire triad of classic 
features of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: confusion, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia 
or nystagmus. Diagnosis during life was missed altogether in 22 (17%) of 128 
patients. The operational diagnostic criteria (at least two of the following: 
nutritional deficiency, ocular signs, cerebellar signs, and either altered 
mental status or mild memory impairment), which are considered more reliable 
than the classical triad, were used in only nine (7%) cases, yet 120 (94%) met 
the operational criteria for diagnosis at the time of presentation when applied 
retroactively. Complete recovery was reported in only 47 (36%) cases. Given that 
oncologists or haematologists accounted for only 17 (19%) first authors among 
the articles included, it is important that oncologists are aware of the risk 
factors for cancer-related Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and that they are 
vigilant about diagnosing and treating the disease especially in the absence of 
alcohol misuse disorders.