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Descriptive epidemiology of ependymal tumours in the United States

J L Villano1, C K Parker, T A Dolecek

  • 1Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Division of Oncology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. jlvillano@uky.edu

British Journal of Cancer
|May 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Ependymomas impact children and adults, but pediatric patients face worse survival rates due to higher rates of aggressive anaplastic ependymomas and intracranial disease.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Epidemiology
  • Pediatric Oncology

Background:

  • Ependymomas are rare primary gliomas affecting both children and adults.
  • Survival rates for pediatric ependymoma patients are notably worse than for adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the incidence and survival rates of ependymoma.
  • To identify factors contributing to survival disparities between pediatric and adult ependymoma patients.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States and the SEER 13 registries.
  • Analyzed incidence and survival data for brain and central nervous system ependymal tumors.
  • Examined tumor site, histology, and age-adjusted incidence rates.

Main Results:

  • The incidence rate of ependymomas was 0.41/100,000.
  • Spinal cord tumors were more common in adults (50-60%), while brain tumors were more prevalent in children (approx. 80%).
  • Anaplastic ependymomas were more frequent in children (30%) than adults (3-5%), correlating with lower survival rates.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric ependymoma cases exhibit worse outcomes compared to adults.
  • Higher percentages of anaplastic ependymomas and intracranial disease contribute to poorer pediatric survival.
  • Understanding these disparities is crucial for improving pediatric ependymoma treatment and outcomes.
Abstract

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