Ependymoma
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An ependymoma is a mass of irregular cells (tumor) in your brain or spinal cord. It’s a type of primary central nervous system tumor. Ependymomas start in your brain or spinal cord instead of starting elsewhere and spreading to your brain or spinal cord. Ependymomas tend to grow slowly and usually don’t spread to other parts of your body.
An ependymoma is a type of glioma, meaning it starts in glial cells. Glial cells help support the neurons in your brain and spinal cord.
Types
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Types
Specialists rate ependymomas on a 1 to 3 grading scale, with grade 1 tumors growing the slowest and grade 3 tumors growing the fastest. There are several types of ependymomas, including:
- Subependymoma (grade 1) grows near the chambers (ventricles) that contain cerebrospinal fluid. It’s more common in adults than children.
- Myxopapillary ependymoma (grade 1) grows in your lower spinal cord and is most common in adult men.
- Classic ependymoma (grade 2) is the most common ependymoma and occurs in children and adults.
- Anaplastic ependymoma (grade 3) often grows near the base of your brain and spreads to other parts of your brain. These tumors tend to return (recur) after treatment.
Ependymomas are more common in children than adults. They’re the sixth most common type of brain tumor in children.
Causes
Experts don’t know what causes ependymoma. In general, cancer develops when specific genes change (mutate). Experts don’t know what causes those gene mutations. Researchers have found that people with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) are more likely to develop an ependymoma.
Symptoms
Ependymoma symptoms vary depending on the tumor location and size and your age.
In babies, an ependymoma may cause:
- Irregularly large head
- Irritability
- Sleeplessness
- Vomiting
In older children and adults, ependymomas may cause:
- Back or neck pain
- Balance problems
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty urinating
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness in arms or legs
- Nausea or vomiting
- Seizures
Diagnosis
Diagnosing an ependymoma may require multiple specialists, such as a:
- Neurologist, a doctor specializing in the central nervous system.
- Neuro-oncologist, a doctor specializing in central nervous system tumors.
- Neurosurgeon, a doctor specializing in brain and spinal cord surgery.
You may have tests to learn more about the tumor’s size, location and grade, such as:
- MRIs: Specialists use large magnets and computers to view your brain or spinal cord comprehensively.
- Spinal tap (lumbar puncture): Your healthcare provider removes a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid to test it for tumor cells.
- Surgery: A neurosurgeon may remove the tumor and test it to determine its type and grade.
Treatment of Ependynoma
Your healthcare providers may treat an ependymoma with:
- Surgery: Surgery is the most common ependymoma treatment. Your neurosurgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible while keeping healthy tissue intact. Surgery is often the only treatment you need for an ependymoma.
- Radiation therapy: Your radiation oncologist uses strong energy beams to shrink or destroy tumor cells. Many people have radiation therapy before or after surgery.
- Chemotherapy: You take medicines that destroy fast-growing cells, including tumor cells. You may need chemotherapy if the tumor has spread to other areas of your body, which is rare with ependymomas.
- Immunotherapy: You take drugs that stimulate your immune system to fight cancer more effectively. Immunotherapy is a rare treatment for an ependymoma, but you may need it if the tumor has spread to other parts of your body.
- Targeted therapy: This treatment uses drugs or other substances that target specific cells to attack cancer cells or keep them from growing. It’s rarely used as a treatment for ependymoma.
