Intracranial germinoma associated with Down's syndrome. Report of 2 cases.
It is well known that Down's syndrome is sometimes associated with leukemia. However, there have been only a few case reports of a relationship between Down's syndrome and brain tumors. We report 2 cases with histological diagnoses of germinoma. The 1st case was a 10-year-old boy with Down's syndrome complaining of seizure and left hemiparesis. Computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass lesion in the right basal ganglia and thalamus. Histological examination indicated two cell pattern germinomas. The 2nd case was a 20-year-old man with Down's syndrome complaining of headache and vomiting. CT scan and MRI showed a pineal region tumor with marked hydrocephalus. Surgical specimens showed typical germinoma. Only 13 cases of brain tumors associated with Down's syndrome have been reported. A higher incidence of germ cell tumors seems to be related to chromosomal abnormalities.
Matsumura
N
N
Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan. matsu@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
Kurimoto
M
M
Endo
S
S
Fukuda
O
O
Takaku
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D018237:Germinoma / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male