A clinicopathological review of spinal ependymomas in Northern Ireland

Of eighty-three tumours of ependymal origin diagnosed in the twenty years 1969-1988 in Northern Ireland, fifteen were located within the spine. Two were in children, 13 in young adults with a mean age of 33 years. 70% presented with back pain and 60% had weakness of the lower limbs. Survival was found to correlate well with histological grading (WHO classification). The mean time of survival for tumours graded 1/2 was six years; there were three long-term survivors of 13, 17 and 18 years; 90% of the patients survived 2.5 years.