Recurrent Pineoblastoma Responsive to Chemotherapy

P Kulshrestha, P Aggrawal, S Kumar, S Arora, K Singh, AK Bahadur, AK Rathi, PK Mohanta

Hong Kong J Radiol 2005;8:175-8

Pineoblastomas are malignant embryonal tumours that are classified as suprasellar primitive neuroectodermal tumours. Incidence of pineoblastoma is approximately 0.1% to 0.3% of histogically verified primary malignant brain tumours. This case report concerns a 19-year-old male with a mass lesion in an area posterior to third ventricle, which was diagnosed as pineoblastoma. He achieved complete response after postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Disease recurred after 8 months in the form of drop metastasis at the level of C2-C4 in the spinal cord. He achieved complete response again following salvage chemotherapy. This report is submitted in view of rarity of this disease and its good response to chemotherapy after recurrence.