Walsh and Hoyt's Clinical Neuro-Ophthalmology

Tumors of Neuroectodermal Origin

"Neuroectodermal tumors arise from cells derived from the primitive neuroectoderm (1) including neuroglial cells, parenchymal cells of the pineal gland, neurons, and primitive embryonal cells of the brain and retina."

"Neuroectodermal tumors arise from cells derived from the primitive neuroectoderm (1) including neuroglial cells, parenchymal cells of the pineal gland, neurons, and primitive embryonal cells of the brain and retina. Because of the large number of cell types and the variations found in cell types among the major groups of tumors, and even within individual tumors, attempts to classify precisely neuroectodermal tumors have been significantly hampered. No single classification scheme has been accepted by all physicians. In this chapter, we use classifications modified from those recommended in 2002 by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Table 29.1) (2)."