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CNS Germ Cell Tumors

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Pediatric Radiation Oncology

Part of the book series: Pediatric Oncology ((PEDIATRICO))

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Abstract

Malignant germ cell tumors represent approximately 3% of childhood according to cancer registries in North America and Europe (Kaatsch and Grabow 2012). In contrast, these tumors account for approximately 11% of childhood tumors in some Asian countries (Echevarria et al. 2008). The World Health Organization divides intracranial germ cell tumors into pure germinoma and nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT). These classifications are prognostic and determine therapeutic interventions, with pure germinomas having a more favorable prognosis and requiring less therapy. Up to 65% of germ cell tumors are classified as pure germinoma and the remaining one-third included NGGCTs (Jennings et al. 1985). NGGCTs include embryonal carcinoma, endodermal sinus tumor (also known as yolk sac tumor), choriocarcinoma, teratoma (immature and mature), and mixed tumors with more than one element. Approximately 25% of NGGCTs are mixed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave., CA5, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    Erin Murphy M.D.

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 100 Blossom Street, Cox 3, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Shannon MacDonald M.D.

  3. Department of Neuro-Oncology, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PT, UK

    Frank Saran M.D.

Authors
  1. Erin Murphy M.D.
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  2. Shannon MacDonald M.D.
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  3. Frank Saran M.D.
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Correspondence to Erin Murphy M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

    Thomas E. Merchant

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Rolf-Dieter Kortmann

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Murphy, E., MacDonald, S., Saran, F. (2018). CNS Germ Cell Tumors. In: Merchant, T., Kortmann, RD. (eds) Pediatric Radiation Oncology. Pediatric Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43545-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43545-9_11

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