Peritoneal carcinomatosis by pineoblastoma secondary to ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Abstract

The primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) produce metastases in the basicranial axis. Extracranial metastases are infrequent and occur by dissemination through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSP). Sixty two cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis have been reported to date as due to a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS), four of them by pineoblastoma. We present the case of a pineoblastoma showing this extremely rare evolution and its response to platinum compounds and taxanes. We reviewed the literature which relates to this neoplasm and its treatment.