title: Long-term follow-up of 5 patients with intracranial germinoma initially treated by chemotherapy alone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High rates of overall- and event-free survival have been reported in patients with intracranial germinoma treated by radiotherapy. We report the long-term results after treatment initially with chemotherapy, but without radiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with an intracranial germinoma were treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin, without radiotherapy. All achieved complete remission; 3 suffered recurrence within 2 years and were again treated with 2 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin followed by radiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At long-term follow-up, each of the 5 patients was in complete remission without further recurrence. Each patient with a neurohypophyseal germinoma who presented with endocrinopathy had initially recovered endocrinological function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a patient with a germinoma chemotherapy, and restriction of radiation to those with recurrence may allow restoration of hypophyseal function damaged by the intracranial germinoma without compromising long term survivial.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Kisiwada City Hospital, Osaka, Japan. tueba@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ueba
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Yamashita
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Fujisawa
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nakao
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ooyama
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Yorihuji
authors: S F
authors: SF
authors: Kato
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Seto
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Kageyama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D010870:Pineal Gland; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000503:physiopathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012074:Remission Induction; D019233:Retreatment
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin