Open Access

Tanycytic ependymoma of filum terminale: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes

  • Authors:
    • Zonggang Hou
    • Xiaogang Tao
    • Junting Zhang
    • Zhen Wu
    • Baiyun Liu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 1, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9531
  • Pages: 6910-6917
  • Copyright: © Hou et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Tanycytic ependymoma (TE), a rare subtype of ependymoma, was classified as grade II ependymoma by the World Health Organization in 2000 and 2007. Preoperative diagnosis of TE is challenging due to its similarities to schwannoma and astrocytoma; therefore, differentiation is required. The present study investigated the clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics of TE in the filum terminale. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical, imaging, pathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of 8 patients with TE in the filum terminale and the relevant literature was reviewed. Of the 8 patients 7 were female and 1 was male, with an age range of 24‑62 years old. The primary clinical symptom observed was lumbago, accompanied by lower limb pain and numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging predominantly identified isointensity on thoracic (T) 1‑weighted images and iso‑ or hyperintense signal intensity on T2‑weighted images, with homogeneous or inhomogeneous enhancement. All patients underwent resection of the tumor through a posterior median approach, and total resection was acighieved in 7 patients. During postoperative follow‑up, all patients experienced improvement compared with their preoperative status, and were without tumor recurrence. The present study comprised the largest group of cases with TE in the filum terminale reported so far, to the best of our knowledge, which could foster a better understanding of this disease. Complete surgical resection of the tumor has the greatest effectiveness of any treatment for TE in the filum terminale. Postoperative histological examination, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy for tumor specimens may assist in its diagnosis and differential diagnosis.
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December-2018
Volume 16 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Hou Z, Tao X, Zhang J, Wu Z and Liu B: Tanycytic ependymoma of filum terminale: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes. Oncol Lett 16: 6910-6917, 2018.
APA
Hou, Z., Tao, X., Zhang, J., Wu, Z., & Liu, B. (2018). Tanycytic ependymoma of filum terminale: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes. Oncology Letters, 16, 6910-6917. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9531
MLA
Hou, Z., Tao, X., Zhang, J., Wu, Z., Liu, B."Tanycytic ependymoma of filum terminale: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes". Oncology Letters 16.6 (2018): 6910-6917.
Chicago
Hou, Z., Tao, X., Zhang, J., Wu, Z., Liu, B."Tanycytic ependymoma of filum terminale: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes". Oncology Letters 16, no. 6 (2018): 6910-6917. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.9531