Seizures' impact on cognition and quality of life in childhood cancer survivors.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of seizure-related factors on neurocognitive, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods: Survivors of childhood cancer treated at St. Jude Children's Hospital (n = 2022; 48.

Clinical features, neurologic recovery, and risk factors of postoperative posterior fossa syndrome and delayed recovery: a prospective study.

Background: Posterior fossa syndrome (PFS) is a known consequence of medulloblastoma resection. Our aim was to clinically define PFS, its evolution over time, and ascertain risk factors for its development and poor recovery.

Methods: Children with medulloblastoma treated at St Jude Children's Research Hospital from 6/2013 to 7/2019 received standardized neurological examinations, before and periodically after radiation therapy.

Handedness switching as a presenting sign for pediatric low-grade gliomas: An insight into brain plasticity from a short case series.

Purpose: To describe clinical data, rehabilitation services, and outcomes of children with handedness switching as their presenting symptom before low-grade glioma (LGG) diagnosis.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for five patients (four female and four white) with LGG and confirmed handedness switching before LGG diagnosis.

Results: All children were less than 8 years at diagnosis, and two patients were less than 3 years.

Height, weight, and cardiovascular effects of stimulants on children with brain tumors.

Introduction: Children with brain tumors may develop inattention, slow processing, and hypersomnia. Stimulant medications improve these problems, but their effect on growth, heart rate, and blood pressure (BP) are inadequately explored.

Procedure: We retrospectively studied children with brain tumors treated at our institution that had data available for 1 year pre and 2 years on stimulant treatment.

Neurologic impairments from pediatric low-grade glioma by tumor location and timing of diagnosis.

Background: The neurologic outcomes of low-grade gliomas (LGGs) according to tumor location and duration of presenting symptoms remain poorly characterized in children.

Procedure: We retrospectively reviewed neurologic impairments in 246 pediatric patients with LGGs (88 with optic pathway and midline tumors, 56 with posterior fossa tumors, 52 with cerebral hemisphere tumors, 35 with brainstem tumors, and 15 with spinal cord tumors) who were treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1995 and 2005.

Prevalence, risk factors, and response to treatment for hypersomnia of central origin in survivors of childhood brain tumors.

Daytime sleepiness is recognized in childhood brain tumor survivors. Our objective was to determine prevalence, risk factors for PSG/MLST proven hypersomnia/narcolepsy, and response to stimulants in childhood brain tumor survivors. Standard PSG/MSLT criteria were used to diagnose hypersomnia/narcolepsy.

The Complex Diagnostic Challenge in Children With Non-Central Nervous System Cancer and Cerebellar Mutism.

Multiple etiologies should be considered in the differential diagnosis of immunocompromised patients with non-central nervous system cancer and viral infections who develop mutism. Acute cerebellitis, caused by infections or by neurotoxicity resulting from chemotherapy; paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration; atypical posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis may all cause mutism in such patients. This condition warrants prompt recognition and may require treatment with immunotherapy, as it may be an immune-mediated process.

Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes of Movement Disorders in Childhood Thalamic Tumors.

Background: We studied the outcomes of movement disorders that were associated with childhood thalamic tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 83 children with thalamic tumors treated at our institution from 1996 to 2013 to document the incidence and outcome of movement disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to analyze the involvement of thalamic nuclei, and three instruments were used to rate the severity of the disorders.

Long-Term Neurocognitive Functioning and Social Attainment in Adult Survivors of Pediatric CNS Tumors: Results From the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

Purpose: To assess the prevalence and severity of neurocognitive impairment in adult survivors of pediatric CNS tumors and to examine associated treatment exposures.

Patients And Methods: Participants included 224 survivors of CNS tumors who were treated at St Jude Children's Research Hospital (current median age [range], 26 years [19 to 53 years]; time from diagnosis, 18 years [11 to 42 years]) and completed neurocognitive testing. Information on cranial radiation therapy (CRT) doses and parameters of delivery were abstracted from medical records.

Imaging Patterns and Outcome of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome During Childhood Cancer Treatment.

Background: Diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) requires presence of headache, seizures, impaired vision, or altered mentation accompanied by specific imaging findings. We aimed to study long-term clinical and radiologic outcome of PRES in children with cancer to augment limited available data.

Procedure: Retrospective review of children with cancer who were diagnosed with PRES.

Headache types, related morbidity, and quality of life in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a prospective cross sectional study.

Background: Increased headache prevalence was recently reported in survivors of childhood ALL. Headache sub types, related morbidity, and effect on quality of life has not been reported thus far.

Objective: To study headache prevalence and type, related disability, and quality of life in a cohort of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors.

Adult pilocytic astrocytomas: clinical features and molecular analysis.

Background: Adult pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) are rare and have an aggressive clinical course compared with pediatric patients. Constitutive Ras/RAF/MAPK signaling appears to be an important oncogenic event in sporadic PA. We evaluated clinical data and molecular profiles of adult PAs at our institution.

Brain tumors in children--current therapies and newer directions.

Brain tumors are the second most common malignancy and the major cause of cancer related mortality in children. Though significant advances in neuroimaging, neurosurgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy have evolved over the years, overall survival rate remains less than 75%. Malignant gliomas, high risk medulloblastoma with recurrence and infant brain tumors continue to be a major cause of therapeutic frustration.