What is ependymal tumor?

What is ependymal tumor?

(eh-PEN-dih-mul TOO-mer) A type of brain tumor that begins in cells lining the spinal cord central canal (fluid-filled space down the center) or the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces of the brain). Ependymal tumors may also form in the choroid plexus (tissue in the ventricles that makes cerebrospinal fluid).

Are all ependymomas cancer?

All grades of ependymoma tumors are considered cancer. Like other primary brain and spinal cord tumors, these cancers are different in that they tend not to spread to other parts of the body, but can recur and require treatment.

How do you get ependymoma?

Ependymoma is a kind of glioma. This means it starts in support cells (glial cells) of the brain. Ependymomas start when certain types of glial cell called ependymal cells start to grow out of control. These cells line the ventricles of the brain.

How is ependymoma treated?

Surgery is the primary treatment for ependymoma. For more aggressive tumors or for tumors that can’t be removed completely with surgery, additional treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, may be recommended.

Can ependymoma be hereditary?

Researchers have found that children with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) have an increased risk of developing ependymoma. NF2 is an inherited condition that increases the risk of developing several different types of tumors of the central nervous system, including ependymoma.

What type of cancer is an ependymoma?

Ependymomas are cancerous tumors that grow in your brain or any part of the spine, including your neck and upper and lower back. They form at first in your ependymal cells in the middle of your spinal cord and in the fluid-filled spaces in your brain known as ventricles.

Can ependymoma come back?

Anaplastic ependymoma (grade III). This is a fast-growing cancer tumor often in the base of the brain and rarely in the spinal cord. It tends to spread into nearby parts of the brain and spread to other parts of the brain through the CSF. These tumors tend to come back (recur) after treatment.

Does ependymoma recur?

Even after the best treatment, ependymomas can regrow or recur. There is no way to predict which patients are more likely to have tumor recurrence. For this reason, routine check-ups and MRIs are highly recommended. Most commonly, the regrowth occurs in the same spot as the first tumor.

Where do ependymomas occur in the body?

Ependymomas often occur near the ventricles in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. On rare occasions, ependymomas can form outside the CNS, such as in the ovaries. Ependymomas develop from ependymal cells (called radial glial cells). Ependymal cells are one of three types of glial cells that support the CNS.

What are the different grades of ependymomas?

They can use this information to help plan your treatment. Gliomas are usually graded from 1 to 4. But there are only 3 grades for ependymomas: Grade 3 – these are higher-grade, faster growing tumours. Your doctor may also describe ependymomas by the type: malignant or anaplastic ependymoma – a grade 3 tumour.

What is the origin of the ependymal cells?

The mammalian ependyma are derived from the ventricular zone, which produce ependymal cells, neuroblasts, and glial cells during active development of the brain (Anonymous 1970 ). Ependymal cells with processes that extend to the pial surface are frequently observed in the developing nervous system.

What is ependymoma of the central canal?

Ependymomas arise from ependymal cells and typically occur in the central canal of the spinal cord, the filum terminale, and the white matter adjacent to a ventricular surface. They are either low-grade tumors or anaplastic tumors, the latter being more likely to disseminate via the CSF.