Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor in an aged patient - Case report

An 88-year-old woman presented with a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) manifesting as disturbance of consciousness and left hemiplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large mass lesion in the right frontotemporal region. She underwent biopsy of the lesion that confirmed the diagnosis of PNET. Her poor condition only allowed chemotherapy with methyl 6-[3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosoureido]-6-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside(MCNU), vincristine, and prednisolone to be performed. The patient died approximately 6 months after diagnosis due to enlargement of the tumor. Supratentorial PNET is a rare tumor, especially in adults. Multimodal therapy consisting of gross total or subtotal resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy is generally considered necessary for patients with supratentorial PNET. However, the condition of each patient should be considered in determining the therapeutic plan, especially in the case of extremely aged patients, since supratentorial PNET is malignant and long-term survival is rare despite aggressive treatment.