Case report: primary subcutaneous sacrococcygeal ependymoma: a case report and review of the literature

Br J Radiol. 2006 May;79(941):445-7. doi: 10.1259/bjr/61959899.

Abstract

Extraspinal ependymomas are rare. The majority occur in the sacrococcygeal region. The subcutaneous variety accounts for approximately two thirds of cases, which are commonly misdiagnosed as a pilonidal cyst or sinus. Treatment is complete surgical resection. The role of coccygectomy is controversial. Adjuvant radiotherapy is of benefit to those with an incompletely excised tumour. Up to 20% metastasise, chiefly to the inguinal lymph glands, but pulmonary metastases are also reported. Palliative chemotherapy has not been shown to be of any benefit. Long term follow-up is important as metastases can occur up to 20 years after initial presentation. We report a 37-year-old woman with a subcutaneous sacrococcygeal ependymoma with iliac lymph nodal metastasis at presentation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Ependymoma / diagnosis*
  • Ependymoma / radiotherapy
  • Ependymoma / surgery
  • Female
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / analysis
  • Humans
  • Ilium
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Reoperation
  • S100 Proteins / analysis
  • Sacrococcygeal Region
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / surgery
  • Vimentin / analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • S100 Proteins
  • Vimentin