Hi Dr. Landolfi;
Here is the first question from the group. First though, I want to pass on the sincere "thanks" expressed by many of the group members for your assistance.
Are ependymomas cancer?
We have heard the following:
- Low grades (1 and 2) are not malignant (so, not cancer?)
- Yes, they are cancer
- No, they are not cancer
- Any growth inside an enclosed area such as the skull is considered "cancer" by it's location.
I am referring to all ependymomas, including spinal cord and brain.
If ependymomas ARE a form of cancer, are they hereditary?
How do we ependymoma survivors answer doctors, insurance, or any other forms that ask "have you ever had cancer?"
Thank you, Dr. Landolfi. This is a question that has generated much message traffic for years. I realize that it is not easy to answer, and that each case is different.
Bruce
The doctor's response...
We don't use the term cancer when it comes to brain tumors because they are unique to themselves. Look at it this way- a benign tumor of the body is one that can be removed and will not come back-thus not cancer. A malignant tumor is a tumor that will come back at some point-thus cancer. For the brain and spinal cord, tumors that grow over decades, like meningiomas, neuromas and pituitary tumors, when removed , may come back, but decades later in most cases, if at all. These can be considered benign and thus not cancer. Grade 1 and 2 tumors, although by some called benign, I call slow growing and if they are hard to control and keep coming back in a short time, are behaving aggressively and I consider cancer(including ependymomas)-but don't use that term. Any grade 3 or 4 is aggressive and synonymous with cancer, although again do not use that term.. For insurance companies, they have their own list of what is considered cancer. Any patient with a tumor that is described in grades should say they have a brain tumor. As you know the tumors may go from one grade to another. If pushed by the insurance company, they should say it is cancer as it may come back . They are not hereditary unless part of a larger syndrome which the patient would be aware of.
Dr. Landolfi