Long-term follow-up of 5 patients with intracranial germinoma initially treated by chemotherapy alone

High rates of overall- and event-free survival have been reported in patients with intracranial germinoma treated by radiotherapy. We report the long-term results after treatment initially with chemotherapy, but without radiation. Five patients with an intracranial germinoma were treated with 2 cycl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta neurochirurgica 2007-09, Vol.149 (9), p.897-902
Main Authors: Ueba, T, Yamashita, K, Fujisawa, I, Nakao, S, Ooyama, K, Yorihuji, T, Kato, S F, Seto, S, Kageyama, N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use
Basal Ganglia Diseases - drug therapy
Brain Neoplasms - diagnosis
Brain Neoplasms - drug therapy
Child
Cisplatin - therapeutic use
Endocrine System Diseases - etiology
Endocrine System Diseases - physiopathology
Etoposide - therapeutic use
Female
Germinoma - complications
Germinoma - diagnosis
Germinoma - drug therapy
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy
Pineal Gland
Pituitary Gland, Posterior - physiopathology
Pituitary Neoplasms - complications
Pituitary Neoplasms - drug therapy
Recovery of Function
Remission Induction
Retreatment
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:High rates of overall- and event-free survival have been reported in patients with intracranial germinoma treated by radiotherapy. We report the long-term results after treatment initially with chemotherapy, but without radiation. Five patients with an intracranial germinoma were treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin, without radiotherapy. All achieved complete remission; 3 suffered recurrence within 2 years and were again treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin followed by radiotherapy. At long-term follow-up, each of the 5 patients was in complete remission without further recurrence. Each patient with a neurohypophyseal germinoma who presented with endocrinopathy had initially recovered endocrinological function. In a patient with a germinoma chemotherapy, and restriction of radiation to those with recurrence may allow restoration of hypophyseal function damaged by the intracranial germinoma without compromising long term survivial.
ISSN:0001-6268
0942-0940
DOI:10.1007/s00701-007-1268-0