Unusual primary secreting germ cell tumor of the spine. Case report.
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.
Massimino
Maura
M
Pediatric Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan Italy. maura.massimino@istitutotumori.mi.it
Gandola
Lorenza
L
Spreafico
Filippo
F
Biassoni
Veronica
V
Terenziani
Monica
M
Pecori
Emilia
E
Arcella
Antonietta
A
Giangaspero
Felice
F
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
D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human