Epilepsy in children treated for cancer

To evaluate the clinical characteristics of epilepsy in children with cancer, the charts of 21 affected children treated in our oncologic center over a six-year period were retrospectively reviewed. The highest prevalence was noted in children with hemispheric tumors (21% for astrocytoma, 25% for primitive neuroectodermal tumor); lowest rates (1.4 to 1.8%) were associated with hematopoietic malignancies. Epilepsy was not found in children with other types of cancer. The rate of intractable epilepsy was about 30% in both groups. Forty percent of the children with brain tumor received radiation therapy. Continued tumor presence, brain parenchymal damage, and radiotherapy are major causes of epilepsy. The role of chemotherapy alone is probably small. Epilepsy is a significant long-term sequela in these patients.