[Primary intramedullary ependymomas: retrospective study of 16 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To review the radiotherapy department experience in treating primary spinal cord ependymomas (PSCE), analyse prognostic factors and provide treatment recommendations regarding literature review.


METHODS
Sixteen patients with PSCE received postoperative radiotherapy between 1972 and 1997. There were 10 male and 6 female patients with a mean age of 34 years (range 2-63). Surgery was gross total resection in 2 cases, subtotal resection in 9, biopsy in 4 and of unknown type in one patient. All patients were treated with radiotherapy to the craniospinal axis (4 cases), spinal cord (1 case) and to the site of primary tumour in 11 cases.


RESULTS
Five year-survival rate was 73%. Two patients had recurrent tumours within the primary site. Gender, extent of surgery and treatment field extent were not prognostic factors. Histologic type was the only variable predictive of outcome. Patients with myxopapillary type had a 5-year survival rate of 100% compared with 47% for those with other histology types.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that aggressive surgery is not necessary in the management of PSCE, localised field radiotherapy is associated with favourable outcome, and tumour grade is an important prognostic factor.
Kochbati
L
L
Service de radiothérapie carcinologie, institut Salah-Azaïz, Tunis, Bab Saadoun 1006, Tunis, Tunisie. lotfi.kochbati@rns.tn <lotfi.kochbati@rns.tn>
Nasr
C
C
Frikha
H
H
Gargouri
W
W
Benna
F
F
Besbes
M
M
Daoud
J
J
Bouaouina
N
N
Ben Abdallah
M
M
Maalej
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002420:Cauda Equina; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome