Intramedullary spinal cord germinoma producing HCG and precocious puberty in a boy.
Extremely high concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin in the cerebrospinal fluid were found in a 5-year-old boy presenting sexual precocity and leg pain. An intramedullary spinal cord tumor was revealed by myelogram and metrizamide computerized tomography, and a biopsy specimen taken at laminectomy. Histologically, the tumor showed germinoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells. The tumor remitted for 5 months after irradiation of 3500 rad and chemotherapy, but recurred in spite of adding 7500 rad and more aggressive chemotherapy. No relapse has been seen for 1 year after amputation of the spinal cord at the T7 level.
D002675:Child, Preschool; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D002818:Cordotomy; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin