title: [Characteristics of extracranial malignant germ cell tumours in two age groups of children (0-10 and 10-18 years). Multicentre experiences].
abstract: In order to assess if any differences exist in children germ cell tumours depending on age, we compared some features of germ cell tumours in two age groups:younger than 10 and between 11 and 18 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 146 patients with germ cell tumours treated in 15 Polish paediatric oncology departments between 1995 and 2005 were evaluated. They were divided into two groups: 76 children 0-10 years old (group I) and 70 patients 11-18 years old (group II). Tumour morphology, sex of patients, primary tumour and metastases localization, disease stage, biochemical markers, treatment response, disease relapse and long survival were analyzed. Every patient was treated according to the TGM 95 protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1, 67 tumours were assessed histologically. 64%t tumours had homogenous structure with yolk sac tumour in predominance and 36% were mixed. Yolk sac tumour (YST) or teratoma as components of mixed tumours were the most commonly found. In older group 64 tumours were examined, 41% were homogenous, and seminoma/dysgerminoma predominated. In 59% mixed tumours the most common components were YST embryonal carcinoma and teratoma. The most common primary site in group I was the sacrococcygeal region while in group II - the gonads. Disseminated disease was recognized mostly in older children. Among two evaluated serum markers, AFP was increased mostly in younger patients (76% vs 44%), and 3HCG in older group (40% vs 9%). Treatment response was comparable in both groups. Two relapses were observed in each group. Poor outcome was noted in 17/140 analyzed patients: 9 (12%) in group I and 8 (11%) in group II. In 12 of patients with poor outcome the cause of death was progression and in 5 of them - treatment complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Germ cell tumours in younger and older children differ in histology, primary localization and serum level of biochemical markers. 2. In older patients germ cell tumours are recognized more frequently in advanced clinical stages. 3. Treatment response was comparable in both groups. 4. There is a need to analyze the intensity of chemotherapy to precise the adequate risk groups according to primary treatment response.
authors.affiliation: Praca wieloośrodkowa z 15 ośrodków Onkologii Dzieciqcej w Polsce pod kierunkiem Kliniki Pediatrii, Hematologii, Chemioterapii i Endokrynologii GUMed w Gdarisku. edrozynska@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Elzbieta
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authors.lastname: Drozyńska
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authors.lastname: Połczyńska
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authors.lastname: Niedzwiecki
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authors.lastname: Bilska
authors.forename: Walentyna
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authors.lastname: Balwierz
authors.forename: Lilianna
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authors.lastname: Chełmecka
authors.forename: Alicja
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authors.lastname: Chybicka
authors.forename: Izabella
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authors.lastname: Dudeńko
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karolczyk
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.forename: Maryna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krawczuk-Rybak
authors.forename: Andrzej
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authors.lastname: Kurylak
authors.forename: Elzbieta
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authors.lastname: Leszczyńska
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matysiak
authors.forename: Wojciech
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authors.lastname: Młynarski
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pobudejska
authors.forename: Grazyna
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authors.lastname: Sobol
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sońta-Jakimczyk
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szajdak
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tredowska-Skoczeń
authors.forename: Krzysztof
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authors.lastname: Szmyd
authors.forename: Joanna
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authors.lastname: Trelińska
authors.forename: Tomasz
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authors.lastname: Urasiński
authors.forename: Jacek
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authors.lastname: Wachowiak
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wieczorek
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiśniewska-Slusarz
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woźniak
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Woźniak
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wysocki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region / Q000473:pathology; D018312:Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy