title: Ependymoma in adults: Local experience with an uncommon tumour.
abstract: This study reviews our tertiary hospital experience in an adult population of ependymoma patients. Ependymomas are uncommon tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) and the literature provides little information to guide management and predict prognosis. The prospectively maintained Australian Comprehensive Cancer Outcomes and Research Database of CNS tumours was searched for patients diagnosed with ependymomas at the Royal Melbourne Hospital between January 2008 and December 2013. A total of 39 adult patients with ependymoma were identified, including 13 with spinal myxopapillary ependymoma. The mean age at diagnosis was 44 years. All patients underwent surgical resection, 67% of whom had a gross macroscopic resection. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was administered to 11 patients (30%), two (5%) died from progressive disease and seven (18%) developed recurrent disease. Our findings are consistent with the existing literature for patient demographics and the approach to treatment, whilst our clinical outcomes appear more favourable. This study provides the basis for further and necessary research, including determination of the molecular characterisation of these tumours and the identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers and treatment targets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia. Electronic address: mina.asaid@mh.org.au.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asaid
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.
authors.forename: Patrick D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Preece
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.
authors.forename: Katharine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Drummond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adult; Brain neoplasms; Ependymoma; Neoplasm recurrence/local; Prognosis; Spinal neoplasms