Management and outcome of pineal region tumors

The management and outcome of 45 patients with tumors in the pineal region are reviewed. The overall male to female ratio was 2:1, and over one-half of the patients presented during the 2nd decade of life. Sixteen of the 21 survivors are presently gainfully employed and suffer only minor deficits. Two of 3 survivors in whom the lesion was biopsied harbored germinomas, while the third had an epidermoid. Among the 18 nonsurvivors, all of whom died of their tumors, 15 succumbed within 2 1/2 years of hospital admission. Twelve of the 13 nonsurvivors in whom histological confirmation was obtained by operation or autopsy had malignant tumors. Computed axial tomography was helpful in making the diagnosis of tumor type in 7 of the 11 cases with confirmed pathology. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology disclosed malignant cells in 4 of 11 patients with proven pineal malignancy. Irradiation and shunting were performed in nearly all survivors and in a little over one-half of the nonsurvivors. Where noninvasive studies are equivocal for malignancy, biopsy may be indicated.