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

The Cancer Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK

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.