Long-term follow-up of 5 patients with intracranial germinoma initially treated by chemotherapy alone.
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.
Ueba
T
T
Department of Neurosurgery, Kisiwada City Hospital, Osaka, Japan. tueba@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Yamashita
K
K
Fujisawa
I
I
Nakao
S
S
Ooyama
K
K
Yorihuji
T
T
Kato
S F
SF
Seto
S
S
Kageyama
N
N
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
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin