Intracranial ependymoma: results of radiotherapy at the University of Kentucky

Abstract

Sixteen patients with intracranial ependymoma received radiation treatment at the Department of Radiation Medicine, University of Kentucky, between 1962 and 1974. The majority of intracranial tumors occurred in children and had an infratentorial location; most adult tumors were supratentorial and adults had a greater tendency for high-grade malignant tumors. The overall five-year survival rate was 37% with 50% failure within three years. Survival appeared to be closely related to grade of tumor. Therefore, tumors were classified as ependymoma (well-differentiated) or ependymoblastoma (anaplastic, poorly differentiated). Five-year survival rate in patients with ependymoma tumors was 71% and with ependymoblastoma 11%. The data and a literature review indicate that radical radiotherapy of the ependymoma produces good patient survival; the ependymoblastoma is not adequately controlled with radical radiotherapy alone an adjuvant therapy may be necessary.