Epileptic Disorders
MENUDrug-resistant epilepsy after treatment for childhood acute lymphocytic leukaemia: from focal epilepsy to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome Volume 18, issue 4, December 2016
TEST YOURSELF
(1) Is drug-resistant epilepsy after treatment for childhood acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) a frequent entity?
2) What types of drug-resistant epilepsy syndromes have been described after treatment for childhood ALL?
(3) Which are the main proposed toxic agents responsible for ALL treatment-related neurotoxicity?
Answers
(1) Drug-resistant epilepsy, not associated with acute brain complications or CNS leukaemic involvement, is a rare complication in survivors of ALL, with only few cases reported in the literature.
(2) Generalized epileptic encephalopathies, such as Lennox Gastaut syndrome, and multifocal and focal epilepsies (associated with hippocampal sclerosis or radiation-induced cavernous angiomas) are described.
(3) It has been postulated that the main neurotoxic agents related to the CNS oncological treatment are intrathecal methotrexate and brain radiotherapy.