Symptom Management
Addressing symptom management issues that are common for people living with ependymoma.
Symptoms and Causes
Symptoms from brain and spinal cord tumors can cause a variety of issues. The symptoms that patients develop from brain and spinal cord tumors depend on the location of the tumor(s) within the central nervous system (CNS). Learn about the common symptoms that may occur. Read more.
Symptom Management
Ependymoma is a rare tumor, and there are limited reports of the clinical course, treatment, and current health status of patients. Through the Ependymoma Outcomes Project (EO) surveys, accessible through this website, we have learned what issues people living with ependymoma face each day and throughout the course of illness. People commonly report on fatigue, pain and sleep disturbances during the course of illness.
In this section we address specific symptom management issues identified in the EO survey. It is important to talk with your doctor about any symptoms that are bothering you.
Fatigue
Fatigue is common in people with all types of tumors and those who are undergoing treatment such as radiation and chemotherapy. As part of the Adult Ependymoma Outcomes (AEO) survey, you spoke to us about your challenges with fatigue. We listened and have provided strategies for coping with fatigue. Read more.
Pain
Pain is a common symptom of ependymoma. People with tumors in the brain may experience headache pain, whereas those with spine tumors may experience pain along the spine or radiating into the arms, legs or buttocks. As part of the Adult Ependymoma Outcomes (AEO) survey, we asked people with ependymoma to tell us about their pain. Read more.
Sleep Disturbance
Sleep disturbance is a common symptom that occurs in people with brain and spine tumors. The most common type of sleep disturbance is insomnia. Insomnia occurs if someone has trouble falling or staying asleep. It is estimated that up to 20% of the general population have disturbed sleep and as many as 60% of those with cancer. In this section, we explore this symptom and provide strategies for coping with it. Read more.