Rare pineal brain tumors look alike in children and adults
Original title: Age-associated epigenomic heterogeneity in papillary tumors of the pineal region: a multicenter YoungNOA investigation.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a look back at stored tumor samples from people, not a test of any treatment.
The short version
A study of rare brain tumors found that children and adults share the same two tumor types.
What was studied. Researchers gathered tissue from 86 rare brain tumors called PTPR, which grow near the middle of the brain. 62 came from adults and 24 came from children. They studied chemical tags on the tumor DNA.
What they found. Tumors from both age groups fit the two known types, called PTPR-A and PTPR-B. Age did not create a new type of its own. Children's tumors were more often type B, 22 of 24 in children and 39 of 62 in adults. Children's tumors also showed signs that their cells had divided more times.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This supports the way doctors already sort these rare tumors. A child's tumor is not a separate kind. Some age-related differences show up inside type B tumors. For now, this does not change care or treatment.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a new treatment or a new test you can ask for. The team looked back at stored tumor samples, so it is early lab work on tissue, not a trial. It does not show who will live longer or shorter. The authors say the findings need to be checked in new studies first. It is not a promise of a cure.
Source: PubMed, August 28, 2026 · Read the original
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