title: Unusual primary secreting germ cell tumor of the spine. Case report.
abstract: The authors describe a young man with a rare primary spinal germ cell tumor that secreted beta-human chorionic gonadotropin. The tumor was resected, and six courses of adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, bleomycin and etoposide were administered together with irradiation to the craniospinal area. An additional dose of radiation was delivered to the tumor site after the first four chemotherapy sessions. The patient was well without any neurological deficit or iatrogenic sequela 33 months after diagnosis. The occurrence of this rare tumor located primarily in the spine warrants attention in pathological studies of spinal tumors in young patients.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan Italy. maura.massimino@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimino
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandola
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Biassoni
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terenziani
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pecori
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcella
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giangaspero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D018193:Neoplasms, Complex and Mixed / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013724:Teratoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human