Nonresective treatment of pineoblastoma: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Stereotactic biopsy followed by cytoreductive surgery and/or radiation are the standard treatment for pineoblastoma. We are reporting a patient with a relatively large pineoblastoma, who was treated with a combination of nonresective treatment modalities.


METHODS
The patient is a 20-year-old woman who presented with signs and symptoms of raised intracranial pressure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large tumor in the pineal region and hydrocephalus. She was emergently treated by placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Three days later she underwent a stereotactic biopsy, which showed the tumor to be pineoblastoma. She was then further treated with the following treatment modalities: permanent implantation of high activity I125 seeds, external radiation, and chemotherapy.


RESULTS
At 10 months' follow-up, MRI showed complete disappearance of the tumor. At 18 months' follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic, neurologically intact, and her MRI scans show no evidence of intracranial or intraspinal tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
Though the follow-up is relatively short, the results of the nonresective approach in this patient have been excellent.
Patil
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Division of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68918-2035, USA.
Good
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Bashir
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Etemadrezaie
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H
D000328:Adult; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology; D010871:Pinealoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes