Neuro-Oncologic Emergencies

Abstract

Cancer and cancer therapies have the potential to affect the nervous system in a host of different ways. Cerebral edema, increased intracranial pressure, cerebrovascular events, status epilepticus, and epidural spinal cord compression are among those most often presenting as emergencies. Neurologic side-effects of cancer therapies are often mild, but occasionally result in serious illness. Immunotherapies cause autoimmune-related neurologic side-effects that are generally responsive to immunosuppressive therapies. Emergency management of neuro-oncologic problems benefits from early identification and close collaboration among interdisciplinary team members and patients or surrogate decision-makers.

Keywords: CAR-T cell neurotoxicity; Chemotherapy side effect; Ischemic stroke; Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression; Neuro-oncology prognosis; Neurologic immune-related adverse events; Status epilepticus.