Pineal and suprasellar germinomas. Results of radiation treatment.
The results of radiation treatment of 52 patients with a tumor in the pineal region or a suprasellar germinoma are analyzed. The overall 5-year survival rate was 59%. Ten patients in whom initial biopsy confirmed pineal germinoma were all alive 2 to 121 months from diagnosis, although two developed meningeal seeding at 2 and 7 months. Twelve of 15 patients 25 years old or younger with an unbiopsied tumor in the pineal region were alive 12 to 225 months after irradiation, with a 5-year survival rate of 81%. In comparison only five of 16 patients older than 25 years with a pineal region tumor survived, a 5-year survival rate of 37%. This marked age dependence in survival rates was attributed to a high proportion of germinomas in the younger patients and gliomas in the older patients.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D010871:Pinealoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012658:Sella Turcica; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed