What is a pineoblastoma?
Pineoblastoma is an aggressive, malignant brain tumor that comes from a pineal gland, a small organ located near the center of the brain. Pineoblastomas, a rare form of brain cancer, represent only three to 10 percent of the total primary brain tumors in children and adults. This type of tumor is usually observed in patients under the age of twenty and is most common in children aged 10 years and younger. Pineal Gland, shaped as a pair of pine cones, produces the hormone melatonin , which helps regulate sleep patterns. There may be more than 17 different types of benign and malignant tumors in the brain area. Pineoblastoma is one of the most common types of tumors in this area. The basic cause of pineoblastoma is currently unknown. This is often caused by a tumor compressing aqueduct Sylvius, which is located next to the pineal gland. Sylvius aqueduct is a passage that allows CSF to leave the brain where it is made. When the CSF flow is blocked, the patient may experience a symptomY typical of condition, including visual problems, memory problems, headaches, nausea with vomiting and seizures.
Hydrocephalus may be a life -threatening condition that may require immediate surgical intervention. This can be achieved by placing ventriculo-peritoneal short circuit in one of the spaces in the brain containing excess CSF, allowing him to drain into his abdomen. Another surgical technique for the treatment of hydrocephalus is the stereotactic third contrastomy , which creates a small hole at the bottom of the brain through which the CSF can drain.
Other common symptoms of pineoblastoma are related to changes in the patient's vision. This is due to the proximity of the tumor to the tectal area that plays a key role in regulating eye movements. Pineoblastoma patients may therefore have problems focusing on objects and may have double vision. Symptoms of pineoblastoma that are not related to the vision include changes in personalityThose, weakness or loss of feeling on one side of the body, weight or taste to eat and fatigue or increased sleep need.
Pineoblastoma diagnosis is most often produced by magnetic resonance (MRI), which can show the exact location and dimensions of the tumor. Scanning of computer tomography (CT) or MRI can also show the range of hydrocephalus. The lumbar punk (LP), also known as the backbone tap, can be useful to obtain a CSF sample, because some pineoblastomas can secrete abnormal levels of certain hormones and chemicals, including beta-HCG, AFP and CEA, WH, WH, WHICH can be detected in CSF or blood. Surgical biopsy with minimally invasive techniques such as endoscopy or stereotactic needle biopsy may also be necessary for a definitive diagnosis.
Pineoblastomas can be treated by surgical intervention. This can provide a medicine if the entire tumor is removed or can help improve the prognosis by reducing the size of the tumor. As a treatment also čThey often use chemotherapy and radiation therapy to which more than 70 percent of pineoblastomas respond.