Related Experiment Videos
Ependymal tumors in childhood
Fulya Yaman Agaoglu1, Inci Ayan, Yavuz Dizdar
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Istanbul University-Istanbul Medical Faculty, 34390 Capa Istanbul, Turkey. yamanf@isbank.net.tr
Pediatric Blood & Cancer
|March 17, 2005
Summary
Pediatric ependymoma patients with non-metastatic disease and complete tumor resection showed better survival outcomes. Younger children under 3 years old had less favorable prognoses, with treatment failure often occurring within the first two years.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neuro-Oncology
- Tumor Biology
Background:
- Ependymal tumors are a significant intracranial neoplasm in children, classified as ependymoma (low grade) or anaplastic ependymoma (high grade).
- These tumors represent 5-10% of pediatric intracranial neoplasms.
- This study reports demographic data and treatment outcomes for pediatric ependymal tumor patients treated at a single institute.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the demographic characteristics of pediatric patients diagnosed with ependymal tumors.
- To evaluate the treatment outcomes and survival rates associated with various therapeutic modalities.
- To identify prognostic factors influencing the survival of children with ependymal tumors.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 40 previously untreated pediatric patients with ependymal tumors (excluding ependymoblastomas) treated between 1989 and 2001.
- Tumor resection included total (50%), subtotal (45%), and biopsy only (5%).
- Treatment regimens involved radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (ChT), with variations in drug combinations and timing (Regimens A, B, C).
Main Results:
- The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 64.9%, and the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 50.8% for the entire cohort.
- Significant predictors of better outcome included non-metastatic disease (5-year OS 82% vs. 29%), total tumor resection (5-year OS 80% vs. 55%), and age of 3 years or older (5-year OS 75% vs. 38%).
- Relapse or progression occurred in 43.6% of patients, with a median time to progression/relapse of 24.3 months.
Conclusions:
- Complete tumor removal is associated with a higher likelihood of complete response.
- Treatment failure predominantly occurs within the initial two years post-treatment.
- Younger children (<3 years) exhibit less favorable outcomes, and there's no significant survival difference between ependymoma and anaplastic ependymoma subtypes.