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Treatment of Childhood Nonmyxopapillary Spinal Ependymoma
Source: Childhood Ependymoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: January 6, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Standard treatment options for newly diagnosed childhood nonmyxopapillary spinal ependymoma include the following:
Surgery.
Radiation therapy.
Although studies suggest that surgery alone may be adequate for many grade 1 tumors, adjuvant radiation therapy may improve survival in patients with nonmyxopapillary high-grade (2/3) tumors. A bicentric report from the University of Florida and Massachusetts General Hospital supports the use of radiation therapy for tumor control.[1-3]
Between 2008 and 2019, 14 pediatric patients with nonmetastatic nonmyxopapillary grade 2 (n = 6) and grade 3 (n = 8) spinal ependymomas were treated with radiation therapy doses between 50.4 Gy relative biological effectiveness (RBE) and 54 Gy RBE (protons). The median age for patients at the time of radiation therapy was 14 years (range, 1.5–18 years). Before radiation therapy, 3 patients underwent subtotal resection, and 11 patients had gross-total or near-total resections.[4]
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With a median follow-up of 6.3 years (range, 1.5–14.8 years), no tumors progressed.
Although most patients experienced neurological sequelae after surgery, only one developed additional neurological deficits after radiation therapy.
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice