EPILEPSY PROGNOSIS AFTER SURGERY OF LOW-G RADE ASTROCYTOMAS (I AND II) - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 39 PATIENTS

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the surgical ou tcome of symptomatic epilepsies caused by low-grade astrocytomas. The study is based on data of 39 patients with epilepsy or single epilepti c seizures who underwent surgery with complete resection, incomplete r esection or biopsy of an astrocytoma grade I or II between 1986 and 19 94. Patients with incomplete resection were treated additionally with radiation and/or chemotherapy. The patients, their relatives or their family doctor were questioned by telephone about the further course wi th special regard to the development of tl re epilepsy. 65,2% of the p atients with complete removal of the tumor remained seizure-free. Tumo rs location in the parietal region was seen in 6 of 8 patients with co mplete removal of the tumour who continued to have seizures, The durat ion of history of seizures prior to surgery did not predict the outcom e regarding seizure control. Patients who died or developed an astrocy toma grade Iii or IV did not have a dominant histological astrocytic c elltype, In 23.1% a transformation into a higher grade of anaplasia oc curred. 35.9% of the patients died with an average survival time of 5. 3 years after the initial surgery.