Abstract
Background:: Germ cell tumors (GCTs) represent approximately 3% of primary pediatric brain tumors in the West, whereas in Asia, they constitute between 8% and 15% of pediatric brain tumors. Methods:: We retrospectively studied all patients with intracranial GCT managed at our institute from January 1998 to December 2013. The clinical data and radiological data were analyzed. Results:: Forty-eight patients with intracranial GCT including 36 males and 16 females formed the cohort. The proportion of GCT in our study was 0.29%. The mean age was 16.5 2.5 years. Germinomas constituted 56.3% and nongerminomatous GCTs constituted 43.7% of all the tumors. The most common location was posterior third ventricle (58.3%) followed by suprasellar (22.9%). Histopathological diagnosis was obtained in almost all patients (96%). Surgical procedures included tumor decompression (71.7%), stereotactic biopsy (13%), and endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy (15%). Patient's age, location of the tumor, and histology did not influence the survival. Women with GCTs had poorer survival when compared to men. Conclusions:: The present study documented a lower hospital-based incidence of GCT in Indian cohort. A multidisciplinary approach including surgical strategy based on location, appropriate radiation planning, and chemotherapy is needed for effective treatment and improved outcomes.
Copyright
Association for Helping Neurosurgical Sick People. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Derivative-Non Commercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit.
Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License, which permits unrestricted reproduction and distribution, for non-commercial purposes only; and use and reproduction, but not distribution, of adapted material for non-commercial purposes only, provided the original work is properly cited.
