Ependimomas: achados clínicos, epidemiológicos e anatomopatológicos de 22 casos

ependymomas are composed of neoplastic ependymal cells, affecting mainly children and young adults. we report the clinical and pathological findings of 22 cases of ependymomas. fourteen patients were males and 8 were females. the ages ranged between 1 and 58 years, with a mean of 24.63 years. the symptoms reflected the growth and topography of the tumours; muscle weakness (59.1%), gait disorders (36.3%), sensitive disorders (36.3%), hyperreflexia and intracranial hypertension syndrome were the most frequent symptoms. ten tumours affected the medulla, 7 the cerebral hemispheres, 2 the cerebral ventricles and 1 brain stem. seven patients were submitted total resection of the tumor, from which one received adjuvant radiotherapy. 15 other patients were submitted to partial resection; from which 4 received adjuvant radiotherapy, 3 adjuvant chemotherapy and 1 chemotherapy and radiotherapy. the recurrence rate was 18.2%. these results are similar with the literature and may contribute to further understanding the biological behavior of these tumours.