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Epilepsy associated with supratentorial brain tumors under 3 years of life

Roberto Gaggero1, Alessandro Consales, Francesca Fazzini

  • 1Department of Neurosciences, Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy. garob@iol.it

Epilepsy Research
|September 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Epilepsy is a frequent early symptom in young children with supratentorial brain tumors. While many achieve seizure control post-surgery, high tumor malignancy and neurological deficits negatively impact outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Epilepsy is a significant concern in pediatric brain tumor patients.
  • Supratentorial brain tumors in very young children present unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the clinical presentation and outcomes of epilepsy in children under three years old with supratentorial brain tumors.
  • To identify factors influencing epilepsy management and prognosis in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analysis of 28 children under 3 years with supratentorial hemispheric brain tumors over a 10-year period.
  • Data collected included demographics, clinical features, neuroimaging, tumor histology, treatment, and postoperative outcomes assessed by the Engel classification.

Main Results:

  • Epilepsy affected 71.4% of the children, often as an early or presenting symptom.
  • Most children (76.4%) achieved good seizure control (Engel I or II) post-surgery, but 20% had persistent epilepsy.
  • Favorable outcomes were linked to low-grade tumors and absence of postoperative neurological deficits.

Conclusions:

  • Epilepsy is a common early manifestation of brain tumors in infants.
  • Tumor malignancy and persistent neurological deficits are associated with poorer epilepsy outcomes.
  • A multidisciplinary approach is crucial for managing epilepsy in these young patients.
Abstract

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