If the tumor recurs after treatment with these programs, Phase I and II clinical studies should be used to try to find agents that may be useful in treating this tumor, which is often responsive to chemotherapy .
Pineal Tumors
This undifferentiated and uncommon tumor resembles medulloblastoma, but it develops in the region of the pineal gland in the center of the brain. The prognosis depends upon the size of tumor and its degree of spread.
Standard Treatment The usual treatment is radiation therapy . There is some controversy about the possibility of surgical removal, although biopsy is recommended whenever possible to establish a diagnosis. A high dose of radiation is given to the tumor, with a lower dose to the brain and spinal cord.
Studies are exploring the role of chemotherapy for poorly differentiated pineal tumors, although well-differentiated tumors may be treated with simple local radiation therapy. Young children may be given chemotherapy to delay or modify the radiation treatments.
