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What is an Ependymoma?

Ependymoma is a type of central nervous system (CNS) tumor that develops from ependymal cells, which line the ventricles of the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. It can occur in both children and adults and may develop in different areas of the brain or spinal cord. Modern classification increasingly incorporates molecular characteristics and tumor location, in addition to microscopic features, to define different ependymoma types.

What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?

Timely diagnosis and treatment matter because an ependymoma can compress or infiltrate nearby brain or spinal cord structures and may obstruct normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. Depending on its location and behaviour, the tumor can cause increased intracranial pressure, neurological impairment, hydrocephalus or spinal cord dysfunction. Early specialist evaluation helps determine the appropriate treatment strategy.

What are the Common Symptoms of an Ependymoma?

  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Problems with balance or coordination
  • Difficulty walking
  • Seizures
  • Vision changes
  • Weakness or numbness
  • Back or neck pain in spinal tumors
  • Limb weakness or sensory changes
  • Changes in bladder or bowel function with spinal involvement
  • Hydrocephalus-related symptoms
  • Cognitive or behavioural changes in some brain tumors

Causes and Risk Factors of Ependymoma

Causes

  • The exact cause of most ependymomas is unknown. These tumors arise from genetic and molecular changes in ependymal cells, but in most patients there is no clearly identifiable environmental or lifestyle cause.
  • Some ependymomas have characteristic molecular alterations that help define their tumor subtype.

Risk Factors

  • Childhood or young age for certain ependymoma subtypes
  • Certain genetic conditions, particularly neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), which is associated with an increased risk of ependymal tumors
  • Specific molecular or genetic alterations within tumor cells

Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Ependymoma in Thailand

  • Research is investigating molecularly targeted approaches, improved radiation techniques and new therapies for recurrent or difficult-to-treat ependymomas. Depending on the clinical situation and local availability, selected patients may be considered for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), proton therapy or other specialised radiation techniques. These treatments are not suitable for every tumor, and their availability varies by centre. Clinical trials may be an option for some patients with recurrent disease.

Treatment options for Ependymoma

Brain cancer surgery (craniotomy) : It is the primary treatment to diagnose, reduce the size of, or completely remove a brain tumor. The main goal is to safely remove as much of the tumor as possible while preserving vital brain functions like speech, movement, and cognitive abilities.


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Radiation Therapy : Radiation may be recommended after surgery for selected tumors, particularly when residual disease remains or when tumor characteristics indicate a higher risk of recurrence.

Chemotherapy : It has a limited role in many newly diagnosed ependymomas but may be considered in selected situations, particularly in children or recurrent disease when other treatment options are limited.


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  • Clinical assessment:
    • Doctors review symptoms, medical history, and neurological function, including strength, sensation, coordination, walking, vision, and bladder or bowel function.
    • Diagnosis is generally confirmed by examining tumor tissue obtained during surgery or biopsy. Histopathology and, where indicated and available, molecular testing help classify the tumor and inform treatment planning.
  • Imaging Tests:
    • MRI Brain: Provides detailed visualisation of intracranial ependymomas and their relationship with surrounding structures.
    • MRI Spine: Important for spinal ependymomas and for assessing possible dissemination through the CSF pathways.
    • Contrast-Enhanced MRI: Helps define tumor margins, enhancement patterns and residual or recurrent disease.
    • CT Scan: May be used in selected situations, particularly when MRI is unavailable or additional structural information is needed.
    • Spinal Imaging/Neuraxis MRI: May be performed to assess for tumor spread along the brain and spinal cord.
    • CSF assessment: In selected patients, cerebrospinal fluid examination may be performed after imaging or surgery to evaluate possible tumor dissemination.

MediRehab (a chain of Rehab centres, part of MediGence) provides comprehensive tele-rehabilitation services designed to support Ependymoma patients in Thailand. These services include:

  • Physiotherapy: Helps improve strength, balance, coordination and mobility when the tumor or treatment has affected movement.
  • Occupational Therapy: Supports independence with daily activities and helps patients adapt to physical or neurological limitations.
  • Speech and Swallowing Therapy: May be recommended when a brain tumor or its treatment affects speech, communication or swallowing.
  • Neurorehabilitation: Structured rehabilitation can address motor, cognitive and functional difficulties following surgery or other neurological complications.
  • Medicines do not usually eliminate a localised ependymoma but may be used to manage symptoms and treatment-related complications. Corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce brain or spinal cord swelling around the tumor, while anti-seizure medicines may be used in patients who experience seizures. Pain medicines, anti-nausea medicines and other supportive treatments may also be required.

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Hospitals for Ependymoma in Thailand

Piyavate Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Piyavate Hospital

Bangkok, Thailand

Piyavate Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Medicine Centre: Piyavate Hospital provides advanced holistic treatment for their patients. They offer a complete range of services and physicians that specialize in various fields like the endocrine system, the nervous system, kidney function, cardiovascular care, respiratory and digestive system. They pride themselves for the familial care that they provide to their patients.

  • Fertility and In-Vitro Fertilization Centre: Helping the couples who walk into the Piyavate Hospital to achieve their dream of having a family. They have a medical team that specializes in male and female fertility. They offer consultation services, fertility check-up for both men and women and complete IVF services. They have advanced IVF cycle treatment facilities that offer a high rate of success.

  • Bone and Joint Institute: Piyavate Hospital houses one of the frontrunners in Orthopaedic health care in all of SouthEast Asia. They offer a wide range of services and surgeries in their bone and joint institute that include hand surgery, hip and knee replacement surgery, spinal cord surgery, upper extremity surgery, arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine.

  • Eye and Lasik Centre: Piyavate Hospital is fully equipped with the latest and most advanced technology for eye care and houses highly skilled ophthalmologists, sub-specialists and qualified nurses.

  • Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre: One of the first hospitals to be equipped with the Hybrid Assistive Limb technology that will help a neurologically challenged patient to control the rehabilitation robot limb with a signal from their brain. The Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre at Piyavate Hospital uses this system encourage patients to regain muscle memory to walk and function normally.

Amenities for Patient’s Family:

Piyavate Hospital also offers additional apartment facilities to house the kin of the patients who come to visit them from distant places. A restaurant, a flower shop and a café are a few of the other amenities provided by the hospital.

These are the most popular services offered by the Piyavate Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. They also provide a plethora of other medical services that are listed below:

  • Diabetic Foot Centre

  • Check-up centre

  • Urology Centre 

  • Heart Institute

  • Paediatric Centre 

  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre

  • Surgery Centre

  • Ear Nose Throat Centre

  • Haemodialysis Centre 

  • Dental Centre

  • X-Ray Centre

  • Gastroenterology Centre

  • Cancer Centre

  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

  • Emergency Services and Centre

  • Tele-medicine

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Phyathai 2 International Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Phyathai 2 International Hospital

Bangkok, Thailand

Phyathai 2 International Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Fully equipped rooms are available for convenience of the patients- Gold B Room, Gold A Room, Pediatric Gold A, Platinum room, and Prestige ward
  • Nearby accommodations are also available- Abloom Service Apartments, Bangkok Patio, VIB Best Western Sanam Pao, VIC3 Hotel
  • Operating room
  • International Patient Medical Center to assist overseas patients
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Bangkok Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Bangkok Hospital

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • It is recognised for the application of the newest healthcare technology.
  • Blood analysis center that is not just the best in Thailand but in Asia Pacific as well.
  • Biomolecule center that is the seed of healthcare equipment for Thailand and overseas.
  • International affiliations and collaborations with universities and hospitals in Japan and the United States of America.
  • 11 hospitals are recognised as Centers of Excellence.
  • Known excellence in Trauma, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neurology as well as Cancer Care.
  • There is a proper streamlined patient services process followed in Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Bangkok, Thailand.
  • A well developed research center showcases the intent of the organisation to provide research based treatment opportunities to the patients.
  • The group has several Medical industry partnerships as well to ensure healthcare solutions.
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Why Choose Thailand for Ependymoma Treatment?

  • Multidisciplinary Neuro-Oncology Care: Patients can access multidisciplinary teams involving neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, neurologists and rehabilitation specialists.
  • Advanced Neuroimaging and Molecular Diagnosis: Major centres may offer high-resolution MRI, neuraxis imaging, advanced pathology and molecular testing to support tumor classification.
  • Advanced Neurosurgical Techniques: Selected patients may have access to image-guided and minimally invasive neurosurgical approaches designed to achieve maximal safe tumor removal.
  • Modern Radiation Therapy: Appropriate patients may have access to techniques such as IMRT, stereotactic radiation and proton therapy where available.
  • Comprehensive Rehabilitation and International Support: Rehabilitation services and international-patient departments can support recovery, follow-up and treatment coordination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recovery depends on tumor location, size, extent of surgery, neurological effects and whether radiation or other treatment is required. Some patients recover within weeks, while others require several months of rehabilitation and follow-up.

Many patients can walk normally, particularly when the tumor does not affect motor pathways. Brain or spinal tumors that affect movement may cause weakness or balance problems and can require physiotherapy or other rehabilitation.

Major Thai cancer and neurosurgical centres may provide advanced MRI, image-guided neurosurgery, molecular pathology and modern radiation techniques for appropriately selected patients.

Many major Thai hospitals have international-patient departments that assist with medical records, specialist consultations, treatment coordination, travel arrangements, accommodation and follow-up care.

Consider a centre with experience in neuro-oncology and access to neurosurgery, neuropathology, molecular testing, radiation oncology and rehabilitation. For children, a multidisciplinary pediatric neuro-oncology team is particularly important.

No single success rate applies to all ependymomas. Outcomes depend on tumor location, molecular subtype, age, extent of safe tumor removal, spread of disease and response to additional treatment.

Neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists and pediatric oncology teams in Thailand manage ependymomas as part of specialised neuro-oncology care. Experience should be assessed according to the patient's age and specific tumor characteristics.

Risks depend on the tumor location and treatment. Surgery may cause bleeding, infection, seizures or neurological deficits, while radiation and medicines can cause treatment-specific side effects. The treating team should explain individual risks before therapy.

Some ependymomas and their treatments can cause lasting neurological effects, depending on the tumor's location and the degree of damage to nearby structures. Possible effects include weakness, balance or walking difficulties, sensory changes, or problems with bladder and bowel function. Rehabilitation and appropriate follow-up may help manage these difficulties, although recovery varies between patients.

Ependymoma does not typically cause physical deformities. However, tumors affecting the brain or spinal cord can sometimes result in lasting weakness, movement difficulties, sensory changes or other neurological impairments.

Yes. Symptoms, neurological deficits, treatment effects and the need for long-term monitoring can affect mobility, education, work, communication, independence and emotional well-being. Rehabilitation and supportive care can help address these challenges.

An untreated ependymoma may grow and compress nearby brain or spinal cord structures. Depending on its location, it may cause worsening neurological symptoms, blockage of cerebrospinal fluid flow, hydrocephalus or spinal cord dysfunction. Progression rates vary, so suspected or confirmed ependymoma requires timely specialist assessment.

Most ependymomas cannot be prevented because their exact causes are not known. People with certain inherited conditions associated with increased tumor risk may require specialist surveillance according to their genetic and clinical circumstances.

Ependymoma can occur at any age but has different patterns across age groups and molecular subtypes. Some forms are more frequently seen in children, while spinal ependymomas are more common in adults. Certain inherited conditions are also associated with an increased risk of ependymal tumors.

Author

Dr. Vishwas Kaushik
Dr. Vishwas Kaushik

MBBS, MD

7 Years of Experience

Dr. Vishwas Kaushik is a qualified medical professional holding an MBBS from the prestigious Belgorod State University, Russia, with a strong foundation in clinical medicine and healthcare practice. His comprehensive medical training has equipped him with a profound understanding of evidence-based clinical practices, patient-centered care, and the evolving landscape of modern medicine. With a keen interest in medical research and scientific communication, he consistently translates complex clinical concepts into clear, accurate, and accessible content for diverse audiences. His work reflects a deep commitment to advancing medical knowledge, delivering impactful healthcare insights, and bridging the gap between clinical expertise and accessible medical communication. View More

Reviewer

Dr. Mohit Agarwal
Dr. Mohit Agarwal

Medical Oncologist

14 Years of Experience

One of the finest Oncologist in New Delhi, India, Dr. Mohit Agarwal has worked with several world class multidisciplinary hospitals over the years. Dr. Mohit Agarwal has over 14+ years of experience in his field. The doctor treats and manages a wide range of conditions such as Stomach Cancer, Rectal Cancer, Breast Cancer, Brain Cancer View More

Last Reviewed - January 2026