The location of the tumor determines the clinical features and symptoms. Patients with infratentorial tumors also have unsteady gait, problems with coordination and neck pain or stiffness resulting from irritation of the upper cervical nerves by the tumor. About 25 percent of children with these brain tumors present with seizures. Very few ependymomas spread to other parts of the brain or to the spinal cord before they are diagnosed. Treatment Strategies Surgery and radiation therapy are the main treatment approaches.
Patients receive radiation therapy after surgery.
Chemotherapy generally has not proved beneficial in previous clinical studies. See RT1 therapy . Current Research Newer chemotherapeutic agents are being used after surgery, with the goal of shrinking the tumor before planned radiation therapy. Another approach that is being studied is to consider repeated surgery in patients who still have tumor remaining after surgery and radiation therapy. The best survival rates are obtained in patients who have the least amount of visible tumor after surgery.