Management of brain tumours in pregnancy
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Management of brain tumours in pregnancy. Multidisciplinary care is recommended. Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Non-surgical management of brain tumours in pregnancy
- Multidisciplinary care is recommended
- Radiotherapy is relatively safe in the third trimester
- Use of chemotherapy in pregnancy may affect foetal outcomes
- Consider Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam are the preferred anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)
- Steroids can be safely administered in late pregnancy to promote lung maturation
- Avoid Mannitol
- Consider prophylactic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) treatment
Surgical management of brain tumours in pregnancy
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Management of pregnancy associated secondary brain tumours (PASBT)
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Tumour monitoring in pregnancy
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References
- van Westrhenen A, Senders JT, Martin E, DiRisio AC, Broekman MLD. Clinical challenges of glioma and pregnancy: a systematic review. J Neurooncol 2018; 139:1-11.
- Ducray F, Colin P, Cartalat-Carel S, et al. Management of malignant gliomas diagnosed during pregnancy. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2006; 162:322-329.
- Lynch JC, Gouvêa F, Emmerich JC, et al. Management strategy for brain tumour diagnosed during pregnancy. Br J Neurosurg 2011; 25:225-230.
- Jayasekera BA, Bacon AD, Whitfield PC. Management of glioblastoma multiforme in pregnancy. J Neurosurg 2012; 116:1187-1194.
- Singh P, Mantilla E, Sewell J, Hatanpaa KJ, Pan E. Occurrence of glioma in pregnant patients: an institutional case series and review of the literature. Anticancer Res 2020; 40:3453-3457.
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