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Review
. 2023 Nov 24:13:1301179.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1301179. eCollection 2023.

Spinal ependymoma in adults: from molecular advances to new treatment perspectives

Affiliations
Review

Spinal ependymoma in adults: from molecular advances to new treatment perspectives

Giulia Cerretti et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Ependymomas are rare glial tumors with clinical and biological heterogeneity, categorized into supratentorial ependymoma, posterior fossa ependymoma, and spinal cord ependymoma, according to anatomical localization. Spinal ependymoma comprises four different types: spinal ependymoma, spinal ependymoma MYCN-amplified, myxopapillary ependymoma, and subependymoma. The clinical onset largely depends on the spinal location of the tumor. Both non-specific and specific sensory and/or motor symptoms can be present. Owing to diverse features and the low incidence of spinal ependymomas, most of the current clinical management is derived from small retrospective studies, particularly in adults. Treatment involves primarily surgical resection, aiming at maximal safe resection. The use of radiotherapy remains controversial and the optimal dose has not been established; it is usually considered after subtotal resection for WHO grade 2 ependymoma and for WHO grade 3 ependymoma regardless of the extent of resection. There are limited systemic treatments available, with limited durable results and modest improvement in progression-free survival. Thus, chemotherapy is usually reserved for recurrent cases where resection and/or radiation is not feasible. Recently, a combination of temozolomide and lapatinib has shown modest results with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 7.8 months in recurrent spinal ependymomas. Other studies have explored the use of temozolomide, platinum compounds, etoposide, and bevacizumab, but standard treatment options have not yet been defined. New treatment options with targeted treatments and immunotherapy are being investigated. Neurological and supportive care are crucial, even in the early stages. Post-surgical rehabilitation can improve the consequences of surgery and maintain a good quality of life, especially in young patients with long life expectancy. Here, we focus on the diagnosis and treatment recommendations for adults with spinal ependymoma, and discuss recent molecular advances and new treatment perspectives.

Keywords: chemotherapy; ependymoma; lapatinib; radiotherapy; spinal ependymoma; temozolomide.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Spinal ependymoma. Tumor cells with rounded to oval nuclei have fibrillary processes arranged around blood vessels (peri-vascular pseudorosettes). (B) Myxopapillary ependymoma. Tumor cells are arranged around blood vessels with interposed myxoid material. (C) Subependymoma. Tumor cells with uniform nuclei clusterized in a fibrillary matrix.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Sagittal spine MRI in a 24-year-old female patient shows a T2-inhomogeneous (A), T1-isointense intramedullary (B) cervical mass with intratumoral cysts and syringomyelia (long arrow). The lesion is surrounded by moderate peritumoral edema (dashed arrows) and demonstrates strong contrast enhancement (C, short arrow). Sagittal T2-weighted spine MRI (D) in a 26-year-old male patient shows a cervico-thoracic intramedullary cystic lesion with marked peripheral hypointensity likely due to hemosiderin staining, i.e., the cap sign (arrowheads). Spinal cord ependymoma was proven at histopathology in both cases. (B) Sagittal spine MRI in a 34-year-old male patient shows a T2-hyperintense (A), T1-isointense (B) extramedullary intradural lumbar mass displacing the nerve roots of cauda equina posteriorly. The lesion demonstrates vivid and slightly inhomogeneous contrast enhancement (C). Myxopapillary ependymoma was proven at histopathology.

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Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research received “Ricerca Corrente 2023” funding from the Italian Ministry of Health (CDC 099183) to cover publication costs.

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