Degeneration of the pineal gland of patients with cancer

Abstract

Gross and microscopic changes of the pineal gland in 275 cancer patients were studied. Multiple slit-like cystic cavities, gliosis, and large numbers of Rosenthal fibers were found in the enlarged pineal gland of 31 patients (mostly children and adolescents). Twenty-four of the 31 patients died with acute granulocytic or lymphocytic leukemia. These morphological abnormalities of the pineal gland have been recognized for a long time. However, a review of the literature revealed no previous description of such changes in the pineal gland of cancer patients.