Effects of treatment
Ependymoma prognosis
The prognosis for ependymoma is very closely related to whether the neurosurgeon can remove all of the tumour, and the spread and aggressiveness of the tumour.
Children who have had an incomplete removal of tumour at initial surgery, or evidence of tumour spread, have a reduced survival rate. The treatment of infants is difficult but results with intensive chemotherapy have been very encouraging.
Long-term effects
As ependymoma can occur in young children and the treatment is given at an important time of the child's development there may be some long-term effects of treatment. These could include:
- growth and hormonal changes
- reduced fertility
- behavioural changes
- possible learning problems
- difficulties with coordination.
- hearing and visual disturbances.
There is a small risk of developing a second cancer later in life.
Follow-up care
All children treated for ependymoma are followed up after treatment is finished in the long-term brain tumour follow-up clinic. Your child will be seen at regular intervals in this clinic, indefinitely, so that we can help with any long-term effects of the treatment.