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Cerebral germinoma with marked granulomatous inflammation: Granulomatous germinoma
Author(s) -
Gotoda Hiroko,
Fujita Miri,
Inoue Kazuaki,
Nagashima Kazuo,
Sawamura Yutaka,
Tada Mitsuhiro,
Abe Hiroshi,
Oka Koji,
Yanagida Noritake,
Nanjo Hiroshi
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
neuropathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1440-1789
pISSN - 0919-6544
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1789.1996.tb00177.x
Subject(s) - germinoma , giant cell , pathology , granulomatous inflammation , histiocyte , inflammation , granuloma , medicine , macrophage , biology , immunology , radiation therapy , biochemistry , in vitro
Cerebral germinomas with granulomatous inflammation are rare lesions that can present diagnostic difficulties. Four cases (two male and two female) of germinomas with pronounced inflammatory reaction are presented. The age ranged from 14 to 21 years (mean 18). Three patients with vision defects had masses around the sellar region, and a long duration of symptoms (2, 4 and 5 years). The fourth patient had a mass in the temporal lobe; she had convulsions and the duration of her symptoms was short (3 weeks). All lesions consisted of inflammatory changes with scattered neoplastic germinoma cells that expressed placental alkaline phosphatase. The inflammation area occupied more than two‐thirds of the mass, and consisted of macrophages and their syncytial forms of mutinucleated giant cells, T‐cells, B‐cells, plasma cells, fibroblasts, and histiocytes or glial cells. Sarcoid granulomata were frequently seen, and multinucleated giant cells with Schaumann's bodies were also visible. The term ‘cerebral granulomatous germinoma’ is proposed for these unusual tumors. Moreover, it is likely that the study of cerebral granulomatous germinoma may provide some important clues towards the understanding of granulomatous inflammation in organs in general.