Pineal Region Tumors in Pediatric Patients

The pineal region or posterior incisural space is a deep intracranial space represented by the quadrigeminal cistern and the neurovascular structures inside it. Pineal region tumors represent a broad spectrum arising from the pineal gland and surrounding structures. Despite ethnic variations, pineal region tumors include germ cell tumors, pineal parenchymal tumors, and gliomas in most cases. Pediatric patients harbor particular clinical features different from adult patients. Pediatric pineal region tumors correspond to 2.5% to 8.5% of the intracranial tumors, with higher incidences in Asian countries. In the pediatric population, germ cell tumors are the most common tumors, followed by pineal parenchymal tumors. Thus, blood and cerebrospinal tumor markers may represent essential tools for the patient prognosis, treatment response, and disease monitoring. Here, we aim to present and discuss the relevant literature concerning the clinical, pathological, treatment modalities, and long-term evaluation of pineal region tumors in pediatric patients.