[Acute central nervous symptoms in oncologic patients]

Oncologic patients may suffer from acute central nervous system disorders either related to the disease itself or to its therapy. These disorders may present as a disturbance of consciousness, as mental changes, as focal neurological signs, as epileptic seizures or as a combination of these. Symptoms may be caused by cerebral metastases, hemorrhage, ischemia or infectious complication, by metabolic changes or by treatment sequealae. This article will focus on clinical presentation, diagnostic workup and possible therapy or prophylaxis of these complications.