title: Spinal cord ependymoma in children--results of postoperative radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the results of postoperative radiation therapy of spinal cord ependymoma in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1984 and 2005, 28 children with spinal cord ependymoma were treated with radiotherapy, after surgery and in three cases after chemotherapy as well. Median age at diagnosis was 13.3 years (range from 4.7 to 16.2 years). Ependymoma myxopapillare was identified in 13, ependymoma in 12 and anaplastic ependymoma in 3 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a median follow-up of 8.7 years (range from 3 to 25 years) 22 patients were alive. The overall survival rate of 2, 5 and 10 years was 93%, 85% and 77% respectively, whereas progression free survival rate was 82%, 74% and 74% respectively. Patients with myxopapillary ependymoma had significantly better 5-year overall survival rate 100% than those with other histopathological types 60% (p=0.016). There were 2 relapse incidences observed among 13 patients with myxopapillary ependymoma, both underwent repeated surgery and reirradiation. In the group of 20 patients with gross total resection the overall 5-year survival rate was 100% in comparison with 62.5% with partial surgery, but it did not achieve statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histological type of ependymoma myxopapillary was a statistical significant favourable prognostic factor. The gross total resection with adjuvant radiotherapy allows obtaining a high total survival rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, M. Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center - Institute, Warsaw, Poland. 3kasia@wp.pl
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pędziwiatr
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skowrońska-Gardas
authors.forename: Marzanna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chojnacka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate