Suprasellar germinomas (ectopic pinealomas): aspects of immunological characterization and successful chemotherapeutic responses in recurrent disease.
Two patients with suprasellar germinomas were initially treated successfully with radiotherapy, but subsequently they developed recurrent tumor 2 1/2 and 12 years later. The recurrent tumor was solely extraneural in the first patient because of seeding from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and in the second patient the tumor recurred as its initial site as well as in the 4th ventricle. Both tumors secreted the beta-subunit of human chorionic gondadotropin. A dramatic tumor response was seen in both patients with systemic chemotherapy consisting of a combination of cis-platinum, bleomycin, and vinblastine. The "small cells" in one of the suprasellar germinomas were shown to be predominately T lymphocytes on the basis of an examination of the cell surface markers on these cells. (Neurosurgery, 7: 352-358, 1980).
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000009:adverse effects; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D010871:Pinealoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin