Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pineal Region Tumors

  • Chapter
Principles and Practice of Stereotactic Radiosurgery

  • 2560 Accesses

Abstract

Pineal region tumors are rare intracranial neoplasms that include germinomas, nongerminomatous germ cell tumors, and pineal parenchymal tumors. Because of their heterogeneous nature, a tissue diagnosis via an open surgical, endoscopic, or stereotactic approach is essential to determine the best treatment strategy. Therapeutic options in the past have included varying combinations of surgical excision, wide field fractionated radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Although the experience with stereotactic radiosurgery is still limited to relatively small series and case reports, there is increasing evidence that this modality may have an important adjuvant role in treating malignant pineal tumors and benign tumors that are not amendable to complete surgical resection. Stereotactic radiosurgery has also been used successfully to treat pineal region tumors that have recurred despite standard therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Baumgartner JE, Edwards MS. Pineal tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 1992;3:853–62.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bruce JN. Pineal tumors Historical perspective. In: Winn HR, editor. Youman’s neurologica surgery. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2005. p. 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yamamoto I, Kageyama N. Microsurgical anatomy of the pineal region. J Neurosurg. 1980;53:205–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stein BM. Supracerebellar-infratentorial approach to pineal tumors. Surg Neurol. 1979;11:331–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Knierim DS, Yamada S. Pineal tumors and associated lesions: the effect of ethnicity on tumor type and treatment. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2003;38:307–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Oi S, Matsumoto S. Controversy pertaining to therapeutic modalities for tumors of the pineal region: a worldwide survey of different patient populations. Childs Nerv Syst. 1992;8:332–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Regis J, Bouillot P, Rouby-Volot F, et al. Pineal region tumors and the role of stereotactic biopsy: review of the mortality, morbidity, and diagnostic rates in 370 cases. Neurosurgery. 1996;39:907–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fukushima T. Endoscopic biopsy of intraventricular tumors with the use of a ventriculofiberscope. Neurosurgery. 1978;2:110–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Fukushima T, Ishijima B, Hirakawa K, et al. Ventriculofiberscope: a new technique for endoscopic diagnosis and operation. Technical note J Neurosurg. 1973;38:251–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Robinson S, Cohen AR. The role of neuroendoscopy in the treatment of pineal region tumors. Surg Neurol. 1997;48:360–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Oi S, Shibata M, Tominaga J, et al. Efficacy of neuroendoscopic procedures in minimally invasive preferential management of pineal region tumors: a prospective study. J Neurosurg. 2000;93:245–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Bruce JN, Stein BM. Surgical management of pineal region tumors. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1995;134:130–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bruce JN, Ogden AT. Surgical strategies for treating patients with pineal region tumors. J Neurooncol. 2004;69:221–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Matsutani M, Sano K, Takakura K, et al. Primary intracranial germ cell tumors: a clinical analysis of 153 histologically verified cases. J Neurosurg. 1997;86:446–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Weiner HL, Finlay JL. Surgery in the management of primary intracranial germ cell tumors. Childs Nerv Syst. 1999;15:770–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Sung DI, Harisiadis L, Chang CH. Midline pineal tumors and suprasellar germinomas: highly curable by irradiation. Radiology. 1978;128:745–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Dattoli MJ, Newall J. Radiation therapy for intracranial germinoma: the case for limited volume treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1990;19:429–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Balmaceda C, Heller G, Rosenblum M, et al. Chemotherapy without irradiation—a novel approach for newly diagnosed CNS germ cell tumors: results of an international cooperative trial. The First International Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumor Study. J Clin Oncol. 1996;14:2908–15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Buckner JC, Peethambaram PP, Smithson WA, et al. Phase II trial of primary chemotherapy followed by reduced-dose radiation for CNS germ cell tumors. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17:933–40.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Backlund EO, Rahn T, Sarby B. Treatment of pinealomas by stereotaxic radiation surgery. Acta Radiol Ther Phys Biol. 1974;13:368–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Subach BR, Lunsford LD, Kondziolka D. Stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of pineal region tumors. Prog Neurol Surg. 1998;14:175–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hasegawa T, Kondziolka D, Hadjipanayis CG, et al. The role of radiosurgery for the treatment of pineal parenchymal tumors. Neurosurgery. 2002;51:880–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Manera L, Regis J, Chinot O, et al. Pineal region tumors: the role of stereotactic radiosurgery. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 1996;66 Suppl 1:164–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kano H, Niranjan A, Kondziolka D, et al. Role of stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of pineal parenchymal tumors. Prog Neurol Surg. 2009;23:44–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Casentini L, Colombo F, Pozza F, et al. Combined radiosurgery and external radiotherapy of intracranial germinomas. Surg Neurol. 1990;34:79–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kobayashi T, Kida Y, Mori Y. Stereotactic gamma radiosurgery for pineal and related tumors. J Neurooncol. 2001;54:301–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Mori Y, Kobayashi T, Hasegawa T, et al. Stereotactic radiosurgery for pineal and related tumors. Prog Neurol Surg. 2009;23:106–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hasegawa T, Kondziolka D, Hadjipanayis CG, et al. Stereotactic radiosurgery for CNS nongerminomatous germ cell tumors. Report of four cases. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2003;38:329–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Lekovic GP, Gonzalez LF, Shetter AG, et al. Role of Gamma Knife surgery in the management of pineal region tumors. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23:E12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Wilson DA, Awad AW, Brachman D, et al. Long-term radiosurgical control of subtotally resected adult pineocytomas. J Neurosurg. 2012;117:212–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Yianni J, Rowe J, Khandanpour N, et al. Stereotactic radiosurgery for pineal tumours. Br J Neurosurg. 2012;26:361–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Dempsey PK, Lunsford LD. Stereotactic radiosurgery for pineal region tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 1992;3:245–53.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Deshmukh VR, Smith KA, Rekate HL, et al. Diagnosis and management of pineocytomas. Neurosurgery. 2004;55:349–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. House Clinic, Good Samaritan Gama Knife Radiosurgery Center, 2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90057, USA

    Gregory P. Lekovic M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Section of Functional Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA

    Andrew G. Shetter M.D.

Authors
  1. Gregory P. Lekovic M.D., Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew G. Shetter M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew G. Shetter M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, USA

    Lawrence S. Chin

  2. Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Univ. of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    William F. Regine

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lekovic, G.P., Shetter, A.G. (2015). Pineal Region Tumors. In: Chin, L., Regine, W. (eds) Principles and Practice of Stereotactic Radiosurgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8363-2_34

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8363-2_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8362-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8363-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation