title: Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumors in Pediatric Patients: A Report From the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary mediastinal germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare in children and still represent a challenge for both adult and pediatric oncologists because of their worse outcome compared to their gonadal counterpart.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively collected data concerning patients enrolled in the Italian Association of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology study on malignant GCTs (AIEOP TCGM 2004) protocol for the treatment of GCTs were analyzed. Patients with malignant mediastinal primary GCTs were included in this study. Data regarding patients with newly diagnosed mediastinal teratoma were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2005 to 2013, 20 children diagnosed with mediastinal GCTs were registered in AIEOP TCGM 2004 protocol. With a median follow-up of 89 months (range 35-123), the overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS) rates were 100% for teratoma and 90% for malignant GCTs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm the favorable outcome of children affected by mediastinal teratoma and malignant GCTs. For malignant tumors, further studies on the clinical characteristics and genetic signatures on tumor samples might be necessary to better understand differences observed in high-risk patients and to assist the development of more effective treatment for this subgroup.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Debora
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: De Pasquale
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of General and Thoracic Surgery-Surgery Regional Network, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.|Azienda Regionale Ospedaliera San Carlo, Via Potito Petrone snc, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crocoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Giannina Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Indolfi
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, G. Di Cristina Children's Hospital, A.R.N.A.S. Ospedale Civico, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boldrini
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terenziani
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of General and Thoracic Surgery, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inserra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013724:Teratoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
keywords: childhood; germ cell tumors; malignancies; mediastinal tumors; teratoma