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Long Survival of Primary Pineal Melanoma with Radiation Treatment Only

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

Jane Barron ,
Carolyn Morris-Larkin ,
Terry Finch ,
Falah Maroun ,
Nanette Hache  and
George M. Yousef
Jane Barron
Affiliation:
Discipline of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
Carolyn Morris-Larkin
Affiliation:
Discipline of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
Terry Finch
Affiliation:
Discipline of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
Falah Maroun
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosurgery, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
Nanette Hache
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
George M. Yousef
Affiliation:
Discipline of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, NL, Canada
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Abstract

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Pineal gland tumors in adults account for about 0.4 to 1 % of all intracranial tumors. A wide variety of tumors can occur in the pineal gland. The most common are the pineal parenchymal tumors (pineocytomas, pineoblastomas, and pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation), germ cell tumors, and glial tumors. Uncommonly in the pineal gland one may encounter a metastatic tumor, a meningioma or a melanoma.

We here report a case of primary pineal gland melanoma with prolonged survival of 56 weeks after radiotherapy alone. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of prolonged survival after radiotherapy alone, without surgical intervention or chemotherapy. Contrary to previous reports, our case demonstrates that a pineal melanoma with leptomeningeal dissemination can still yield a better survival with radiation treatment only.

Type
Peer Reviewed Letter
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 34 , Issue 2 , May 2007 , pp. 251 - 253
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2007

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