Ependymoma

Abstract

Ependymomas which include both subependymoma and myxopapillary ependymoma variants are slow growing tumours of glial origin, believed to arise from radial glial stem cells within the ependymal surface within the central nervous system and spinal cord. Consequently, they are most commonly found in association with a ventricular surface, primarily within the fourth ventricle. Most of these tumours occur in children, representing approximately 10% of all paediatric central nervous system tumours, following astrocytomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumours in frequency, and there does not appear to be a gender bias. The majority of paediatric ependymomas are intracranial and about half occur in children less than 5 years old.