Open AccessA pragmatic diagnostic approach to primary intracranial germ cell tumors and their treatment outcomes
Author(s) -
Jeyaanth Venkatasai,
Rajesh Balakrishnan,
B Rajkrishna,
Patricia Sebastain,
Rebecca John,
Harshad Arvind Vanjare,
Krishna Prabhu,
Bijesh Ravindran Nair,
Leni Grace Mathew,
Selvamani Backianathan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
cns oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2045-0915
pISSN - 2045-0907
DOI - 10.2217/cns-2021-0012
Subject(s) - germinoma , germ cell tumors , medicine , biopsy , pathology , cerebrospinal fluid , germ cell , radiology , chemotherapy , radiation therapy , biology , biochemistry , gene
Background: Primary intracranial germ cell tumors (ICGCT) are often diagnosed with tumor markers and imaging, which may avoid the need for a biopsy. An intracranial germ cell tumor with mild elevation of markers is seldom stratified as a distinct entity. Methods: Fifty-nine patients were stratified into three groups: pure germinoma (PG), secreting germinoma (SG) and non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs). Results: At 5 years, progression-free survival and overall survival of the three groups (PG vs SG vs NGGCT) were 91% versus 81% versus 59%, and 100% versus 82% versus 68%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in outcome among histologically and clinically diagnosed germinomas. Conclusion: A criterion for clinical diagnosis when a biopsy is not feasible is elucidated, and comparable outcomes were demonstrated with histologically diagnosed germinomas.