Pediatric brain tumors and epilepsy.
Seizures are a common complication of pediatric brain tumors and their treatment. This article reviews the epidemiology, evaluation, and treatment of seizures in children with brain tumors. Seizures in known brain tumor patients may signify tumor progression or recurrence, or treatment-related brain damage, as well as other causes, including low drug levels and metabolic disturbances. Careful selection of antiepileptic medications is needed in this population. There are advantages to nonenzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs including valproic acid, which has potential antitumoral properties as a histone deacetylase inhibitor. Tumor surgery cures many cases of pediatric tumor-associated seizures, and some children are controlled with anti-epileptic medication, however additional epilepsy surgery may be needed for refractory cases.
Brain Tumor Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. ewells@childrensnational.org
Elizabeth M
EM
Wells
William D
WD
Gaillard
Roger J
RJ
Packer
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures
D000927:Anticonvulsants