Although rare in adults, ependymomas are the third most common primary spinal cord or brain tumor in children and have no definitive cause.

They develop in the ependyma, the cells that line the ventricles (or spaces in the spinal cord or brain where cerebrospinal fluid is produced and stored). Ependymomas can grow slow or fast, but they typically remain localized and don’t spread to other parts of the body.

Symptoms of Ependymoma

• Severe headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue and sleepiness
• Coordination problems
• Difficulty walking
• Weakness or numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• Neck stiffness or pain
• Back pain
• Changes in vision
• Problems thinking, remembering or speaking
• Bladder and bowel dysfunction