Malignant pineocytoma with prominent papillary features.

A pineal gland tumor in a 57-year-old man proved to be lethal within six months despite radiotherapy. The tumor was demonstrated to be a pineocytoma at autopsy but it was unusual is that papillary structures constituted a prominent component of it. We report that papillary features may be a component of pineocytic neoplasms and that they may have prognostic significance. Papillary pineal parenchymal neoplasms should be distinguished from other benign and malignant papillary neoplasms which also occur in the pineal region.