Clinical presentation and outcomes for adult ependymoma patients

BACKGROUNDOutcomes projects can be a catalyst for determining disease- and treatment-related consequences for patients with rare tumors. The Adult Ependymoma Outcomes (AEO) survey uses self-reported experience to evaluate how this tumor affects patient groups throughout the illness trajectory. METHODSPatients completed the AEO survey via a Web-based portal. The survey included questions on treatment, tumor recurrence, and current health status; the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Brain Tumor and Spine Tumor modules; and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTSThe sample included 264 participants (57% female) with a median age of 46 years (range, 18-77 years). Radiation treatment was commonly used for patients who had brain involvement ((2)(1)=20.7; P<.001), underwent a partial resection (43%; (2)(3)=15.4; P<.001), or had a grade 3 tumor (41%; (2)(2)=18.8; P<.001). Recurrence occurred in a small group (29%), with grade 1 tumor patients 2.6 times more likely and grade 3 tumor patients 2.5 times more likely to experience recurrence than those with grade 2 tumors. Spine tumor patients had a higher symptom burden (mean, 2.8; scale, 0-10) than brain tumor patients (t(247)=-4.0), and they reported more moderate to severe symptoms (rating5; 29%) than their counterparts (18%). Within the physical health portion of the SF-36, spine tumor patients reported worse health with respect to bodily pain (t(249)=6.8; P<.001), physical functioning (t(252)=4.1; P<.001), and vitality (t(202.2)=3.0; P<.003). CONCLUSIONSThese results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing outcomes projects that report on the clinical and demographic characteristics of a rare patient population, and they underscore the importance of outcomes data in understanding disease-related issues. Cancer 2017;123:494-501. (c) 2016 American Cancer Society. Implementing outcomes projects is feasible for ependymoma patients. Outcomes data help in understanding disease-related issues for this patient population.