title: Diagnosis and management challenge of a granular cell astrocytoma of the pineal region: case report.
abstract: Granular cell astrocytoma (GCA) is a rare type of infiltrative brain tumor with most reported cases occurring in the suprasellar region. A pineal localization is extremely rare, with only 4 previously reported cases in the literature. The authors describe the case of a 16-year-old boy who developed signs of increased intracranial pressure and Parinaud syndrome. Cranial CT and MRI revealed a well-demarcated and enhanced mass in the pineal region accompanied by obstructive hydrocephalus. Subtotal resection was performed via a subtemporal approach. A histological diagnosis of GCA was made. Three years after surgery, the patient was alive and well without adjuvant therapy, and serial MRI showed no signs of progression of a small residual tumor. After a thorough review of the different epidemiological, clinical, and imaging features; treatments; and prognoses of GCAs in other intracranial localizations, the authors analyzed features of this tumor in the pineal region.
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Abad Cherif
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: El Asri
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baallal
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zoubeir
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinaa
authors.forename: Abderrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albouzidi
authors.forename: Miloudi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazzaz
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akhaddar
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boucetta
authors.forename: Brahim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Mostarchid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016586:Granular Cell Tumor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000175:diagnosis; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: EMA = epithelial membrane antigen; GCA = granular cell astrocytoma; GCT = granular cell tumor; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; astrocytoma; granular cell tumor; oncology; pineal region; surgery