Intracranial germinoma: a rare but important differential diagnosis in children with growth retardation.
OBJECTIVE
Intracranial germinoma is a rare malignant tumour in childhood with an excellent prognosis under adequate therapy. Finding the right diagnosis at an early stage is difficult because of the slow-growing tumour and the resulting lack of clinical symptoms.


METHODS
Our patients with histologically secured germinoma were retrospectively assessed concerning growth retardation, pituitary hormone status, magnetic resonance imaging scan results and clinical symptoms to find out whether there is a leading parameter.


RESULTS
In all our patients, the leading symptom was growth retardation of at least 2 y before being diagnosed.


CONCLUSIONS
Growth retardation seems to be a very early sign of germinoma in the suprasellar region. Therefore, early neuroradiological imaging combined with pituitary hormone status should be considered in every paediatric patient with a history of secondary growth retardation.
Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Homburg, Germany. spratzelzapfen@yahoo.de
Sven
S
Gottschling
Norbert
N
Graf
Sascha
S
Meyer
Harald
H
Reinhard
Thomas
T
Krenn
Tilman
T
Rohrer
D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000097:blood
D010907:Pituitary Hormones