These ependymomas arise outside the posterior fossa (back of the skull), usually within and adjacent to the ventricles .
Standard Treatment Surgery followed by radiation therapy . In low-grade tumors, the primary tumor area is given radiation. With high-grade tumors, the entire brain and spinal cord are treated.
Adjuvant chemotherapy is under evaluation. Consideration should be given to its use in very young children to delay or modify radiation therapy.
Two-Year Survival About 40 percent
Investigational
• Various radiotherapy trials, with and without chemotherapy.
Recurrent Cancer This tumor is seldom controlled if it recurs after surgery and radiation therapy, although one-third of patients respond to cisplatin . Phase I and II clinical studies should be considered.
