title: Atypical location and clinical behavior of a subset of intracranial germ cell tumors in children younger than 3 years of age.
abstract: The authors describe a series of 15 intracranial germ cell tumors (IGCTs) excluding mature teratomas; 3 cases in children younger than 3 years of age who were treated at 3 different international institutions over the course of 20 years, and 12 from a PubMed search. These tumors, with possible in utero origins, often occur in atypical locations. The clinical behavior differed significantly from these tumors' counterparts in older children. In this young age group germinoma is highly aggressive, whereas nongerminomatous germ cell tumors may be cured without radiotherapy. Ongoing genomic studies reveal insights to attain an understanding of the biology of these tumors. New treatment strategies are needed to improve outcomes for IGCTs in this age group, particularly for germinomas.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology.
authors: Wan-Yee
authors: WY
authors: Teo
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Ross
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Bollo
authors: Wan-Tew
authors: WT
authors: Seow
authors: Ah-Moy
authors: AM
authors: Tan
authors: Seok-Gu
authors: SG
authors: Kang
authors: Dong-Seok
authors: DS
authors: Kim
authors: Xiao-Nan
authors: XN
authors: Li
authors: Ching C
authors: CC
authors: Lau
authors: Carrie A
authors: CA
authors: Mohila
authors: Adekunle M
authors: AM
authors: Adesina
authors: Jack M
authors: JM
authors: Su
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010784:Photomicrography; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: AFP = α-fetoprotein; GTR = gross-total resection; IGCT = intracranial germ cell tumor; NGGCT = nongerminomatous germ cell tumor; PLAP = placental alkaline phosphatase; SEER = Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results; VP = ventriculoperitoneal; excluding mature teratoma; infants; intracranial germ cell tumors; oncology; β-HCG= β-human chorionic gonadotropin