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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
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Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy and Pineal Biopsy from a Single Entry Point
Published on: June 28, 2024
Tumor control after surgery and radiotherapy for pineocytoma
Aaron J Clark1, Michael E Ivan, Michael E Sughrue
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California 94117, USA.
Journal of Neurosurgery
|February 9, 2010
Summary
Gross-total resection offers the best prognosis for pineocytoma, potentially leading to a cure. Adjuvant radiation therapy after subtotal resection shows questionable benefit for these rare tumors.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Neurosurgery
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Pineocytoma is a rare brain tumor with limited literature, leading to varied treatment recommendations.
- Existing research primarily consists of case reports and small case series, hindering definitive treatment guidelines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on tumor control following surgery for pineocytoma.
- To evaluate the relative benefits of aggressive resection versus adjuvant radiotherapy for pineocytoma treatment.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies with outcome data for patients undergoing pineocytoma surgery.
- Progression-free survival (PFS) rates were determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis.
Main Results:
- Data from 166 patients across 64 articles were analyzed.
- Gross-total resection (GTR) showed significantly higher 1- and 5-year PFS rates (100% and 94%) compared to subtotal resection (STR) with radiation therapy (100% and 84%).
- No significant difference in PFS was observed between STR alone and STR with adjuvant radiation therapy.
Conclusions:
- Gross-total resection (GTR) is the optimal treatment for pineocytoma, potentially offering a cure.
- Adjuvant radiation therapy following subtotal resection (STR) provides questionable benefit for patients with pineocytoma.
