Intraspinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors: Report of four cases and review of the literature

Intraspinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are extremely rare and are aggressive with poor outcomes. Till date only 41 cases of intraspinal PNET have been reported. Here we report four new cases. Total excision of the tumor was done in three patients and partial excision in one patient. The unusual clinical features were vertebral metasis in one patient and short history of symptoms for four days. All had surgical excision, total excision in three patients and gross partial excision in one patient. Three patients were treated with craniospinal radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All the four patients are alive and asymptomatic at 6 to 25 months of followup.