Pineal Region Tumours

Pineal Region Tumours: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Outlook.

Disclaimer:
This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Content is sourced from third parties, and we do not guarantee accuracy or accept any liability for its use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical guidance.

What is Pineal Region Tumours?

Pineal region tumours arise in or near the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland producing melatonin, comprising 0.5-1% of brain tumors. Types include germ cell tumors (germinomas, non-germinomatous, 50-60%), pineal parenchymal tumors (pineocytomas grade I, pineoblastomas grade IV), gliomas, and meningiomas. In 2025, ~300 US cases, bimodal age (children/adults), with germinomas common in teens.

Symptoms

Symptoms from hydrocephalus (obstructed cerebrospinal fluid): headaches (worse mornings), nausea/vomiting, double vision, difficulty looking up (Parinaud’s syndrome), fatigue, balance issues, and memory problems. Endocrine symptoms include precocious puberty (in children from beta-HCG). Advanced cause seizures or coma.

Causes

Causes are unknown, but germ cell tumors link to chromosomal abnormalities. Risk factors include male gender (3:1 for germinomas), Asian descent, and genetic syndromes (e.g., RB1 for pineoblastoma). In 2025, epigenetic changes are key.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis uses MRI/CT showing pineal mass/hydrocephalus, blood/CSF markers (AFP, beta-HCG for germ cells), and biopsy (endoscopic or stereotactic). In 2025, liquid biopsies improve non-invasive diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment addresses hydrocephalus (VP shunt or ETV), then biopsy-guided: germinomas use radiation + chemotherapy (carboplatin/etoposide), pineoblastomas surgery + chemo-radiation. Pineocytomas use surgery alone. In 2025, proton radiation reduces side effects.

Future Outlook

In 2025, survival is 90% for germinomas, 70% pineocytomas, 50% pineoblastomas. Advances in targeted therapies extend to 80% for high-grade. By 2030, immunotherapy could achieve 85% overall.

Sources

The information is based on Barrow Neurological’s “Pineal Tumors – Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment” for symptoms; NCI’s “Pineal Region Tumors: Diagnosis and Treatment” for treatment; Brain Tumour Research’s “Pineal Region Tumours | Pineal Gland” for overview; Healthline’s “Pinealoma or Pineal Tumors: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis” for causes; Cedars-Sinai’s “Pineal Tumor” for understanding; PMC’s “Pineal Gland Tumors: A Review” for review; Cancer Research UK’s “Pineal region tumours” for types; Brain Tumour Research’s “Pineal region tumours” for symptoms.