Pineoblastoma

Pineoblastoma is an aggressive, rapidly growing brain tumor that develops in the pineal body (also called the pineal gland). The pineal body is responsible for the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates moods and the sleep and wake cycle. These tumors are considered highly malignant and may invade nearby areas of brain tissue and the cerebrospinal fluid. However, they rarely move to other parts of the body.

Pineoblastomas account for only .5 to 2 percent of childhood tumors of the central nervous system. Statistics suggest that these tumors occur more frequently in boys than girls and most often in young children. Only the minority of cases are reported in adolescents or adults. Symptoms, caused by blockage of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and increased pressure on the brain, may include headache, double vision, nausea and vomiting, weakness or loss of sensation on one side of the body, seizures, developmental delays or failure to thrive in younger children, lowered energy level or unusual need for sleep, personality changes and unexplained changes in weight or appetite.

Average-risk children are those older than 3 years, with most or all of the tumor removed by surgery and no evidence that the cancer has spread beyond the pineal body. Poor-risk children are those who are younger than 3 years, whose cancer was located near the center of the brain or could not be removed completely by surgery, and whose cancer has spread. The risk of recurrence is higher for children in the poor-risk group. Treatment includes both radiation therapy and chemotherapy for older children.