Risk of Cancer in Patients With First-Time Seizure

Are first-time seizures associated with elevated risk of neurological and nonneurological cancers?In this nationwide cohort study in 49 894 Danish adults with first-time seizure, the 1-year absolute risk (AR) of neurological cancers was 2.4%, and the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) relative to the general population was 76.1. For nonneurological cancers, the AR was 1.7%, and the SIR was 2.32; the risk remained slightly elevated over the long term.As first-time seizures may signal underlying neurological or nonneurological cancers, diagnostic assessment for occult cancers should be considered in specific clinical scenarios.

Corresponding Author: Andreas Lund Pedersen, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Center for Population Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University, Olof Palmes Allé 43-45, Aarhus N 8200, Denmark (alund@clin.au.dk).

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