CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF PROTON THERAPY FOR PEDIATRIC EPENDYMOMA

Ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. It is typically treated with maximal surgical resection and localized radiotherapy. In pediatric cases, as the location is mainly intracranial, minimizing unnecessary exposure to radiation is of paramount importance for young children. Hence the advantage of proton radiotherapy, which is able to spare healthy tissues outside the target region.

A study reported the clinical outcomes for 70 patients treated with PT for intracranial ependymoma. It was found that outcomes for children treated with PT compared favorably with the literature, and that the young age at diagnosis and the proximity of critical structures in patients with ependymoma made this treatment an ideal radiation modality.

For more information visit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24101739