Anaplastic ependymoma in a pediatric patient, a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Ependymoma is a slow-growing tumor that arises from the ependymal cells that line the ventricles, the passages in the brain and the center of the spinal cord. It affects children and young adults. Case presentation: female patient, 10 years old, black and urban origin. He presents with a history of intense holocranial headache, Visual Analog Scale 6/10 since September 2021 in the right hemicranium and suboccipital, and also associates dizziness plus instability in walking with lateropulsion on the right side and general malaise. Studies are carried out by different specialties where it is diagnosed by clinical and tomography imaging and its first surgery with excision of the lesion with a pathological diagnosis of anaplastic ependymoma of the posterior fossa (grade III). She is treated at the provincial pediatric hospital for radiotherapy planning, a simple Computed Axial Tomography of the skull is performed and she undergoes microscopic surgery (approximately 95 %). Complete treatment with radiotherapy. Then she is admitted to the pediatric oncotherapy service; no oncological therapeutic alternative can be offered since the patient's general condition does not allow it and she dies. Conclusions: Anaplastic ependymomas are rare tumors in pediatric patients, which require a detailed physical examination and clinical interpretation to obtain an early outcome of the disease. Complementary ones such as Computerized Axial Tomography and Magnetic Resonance establish the diagnosis.