Pineoblastoma

Descripción general

Pineoblastoma is a type of cancer that starts in the brain's pineal gland. The pineal gland is located in the center of the brain. The gland makes a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin plays a role in the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

Pineoblastoma begins as a growth of cells in the pineal gland. The cells grow quickly and can invade and destroy healthy body tissue.

Pineoblastoma can occur at any age. But it happens most often in young children. Pineoblastoma may cause headaches, sleepiness and changes in the way the eyes move.

Pineoblastoma can be very difficult to treat. It can spread within the brain and into the fluid around the brain. This fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid. Pineoblastoma almost never spreads beyond the central nervous system. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Additional treatments also may be recommended.

Síntomas

Pineoblastoma signs and symptoms include:

• Behavior changes.
• Headaches.
• Lack of energy.
• Nausea.
• Problems with memory and thinking.

Pineoblastoma sometimes causes eye symptoms. This can happen when the cancer causes pressure on parts of the brain that help with vision. The eye symptoms that pineoblastoma causes are sometimes called Parinaud syndrome. Eye symptoms caused by pineoblastoma include:

• Blurred vision.
• Double vision.
• Problems focusing on objects that are up close.
• Problems looking upward.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you or your child have symptoms that worry you.

Causas

The cause of pineoblastoma often isn't known. This cancer starts as a growth of cells in the pineal gland. The pineal gland is located in the center of the brain.

Pineoblastoma happens when cells in the pineal gland develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to grow and multiply quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells.

The cancer cells form a growth in the pineal gland. The growth, called a tumor, may press on nearby parts of the brain as it gets bigger. The tumor also may block the flow of fluid in the brain. This causes pressure that builds up inside the brain.

Factores de riesgo

Risk factors for pineoblastoma include:

• Young age. Pineoblastoma is most common in children ages 1 to 12 years old.
• Inherited eye cancer. A genetic disorder called hereditary retinoblastoma raises the risk of pineoblastoma. Hereditary retinoblastoma runs in families. It increases the risk of a type of eye cancer called retinoblastoma and other kinds of cancer.

There is no way to prevent pineoblastoma.

Living with pineoblastoma?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

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