Childhood brain tumors presenting as chronic uncontrolled focal seizure disorders.

Sixteen of 35 patients (46%) 21 years old or less who underwent surgical resection of a longstanding epileptic focus harbored tumors. The median duration of the seizure disorder prior to operation was 6.0 years for patients with and 7.6 years for those without tumor. Among the 35 patients, tumor was more common when intelligence and results of neurological examination were each normal, a plausible cause for uncontrolled seizures was lacking, and persistent focal delta activity occurred in a majority of electroencephalograms (EEGs). The type of seizures and the distribution of EEG spikes failed to distinguish patients with tumor from those without. Multifocal EEG spikes appeared in a majority of each group.