Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 8/24/2009

Question
My 17 year old niece is diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma. The second surgery in June, 2008 was not successful as only 40% of the tumour could be removed. Since then her left side (hand and leg) has no sense of touch or anything and it has become useless. Since the past one month she has lost her eyesight completely and complains of back pain though the severe headache she had always has gone since the past 20 days. She has lost interest in everything, does not move out of her bed, sleep pattern has also become erratic. While she sleeps 8 to 10 hours in the day time, sometime there is no sleep neither during the day nor night. There is bladder and bowel incontinency from the past 15 days. We do not know how to deal with her, how to comfort or counsel her because she still thinks she will become OK after sometime. We do not know what to do. Does these symptoms indicate the end. Please advise and help.

Answer
As you probably understand yourself her situation is definitely not promising. In general when tumors of this kind are not possible to remove at least macroscopically (to the eye) completely their prognosis is much impaired. Furthermore her symptoms do indicate a very bad and quickly worsening situation. Radiation therapy and maybe chemotherapy may be tried but unfortunately I can certainly not offer you any promises of any success. I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!