Germ Cell Tumors ( Brain )
Also called: Embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, germinoma, intracranial germ cell tumor, teratoma, mixed germ cell tumors
What is a germ cell brain tumor?
Germ cell brain tumors are tumors, usually cancerous, that arise in the pineal or suprasellar region of the brain.
Different types of these germ cells cause different types of tumors, including the following:
- Germinoma
- Embryonal carcinoma
- Yolk sac tumor
- Teratoma
- Mixed germ cell tumors
These tumors start and grow mainly in two areas in the center of the brain:
- The pineal region (where the pineal gland is located)
- The suprasellar region (where the pituitary gland is located)
However, a germ cell brain tumor can spread to other parts of the brain and spine including into the cerebrospinal fluid.
How common is a germ cell brain tumor?
- Germ cell brain tumors are very rare, accounting for less than 5 percent of all brain tumors in children.
- They are more common in boys than in girls.
- About half of germ cell brain tumors occur in children and young adults between the ages 11 and 30.
What are the symptoms of a germ cell brain tumor?
If your child has a germ cell brain tumor, the symptoms that occur depend on its location.
Tumors in the pineal region of the brain can cause these symptoms:
- Increased fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus)
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Feeling irritable
- Double vision
- Trouble looking up or focusing on close objects
- Coordination and balance issues
Tumors in the suprasellar region of the brain can cause these symptoms:
- Early or delayed puberty (and other hormone related issues)
- Stunted growth
- Vision problems
How is a germ cell brain tumor treated?
Most germ cell tumors are treated with chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Chemotherapy (“chemo”) — uses powerful medicines to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing:
- Chemo may be injected into the bloodstream, so that it can travel throughout the body.
- Some chemo may be given by mouth.
- Combination therapy uses more than one type of chemo at a time.
- Radiation therapy — uses high-energy X-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing (dividing) and making more cancer cells:
- External radiation uses machines outside the body to deliver the X-ray dose.
What are the survival rates for germ cell brain tumors?
- Children treated for germinomas have a 90% survival rate.
- For other types of germ cell brain tumors, radiation therapy can help to control the disease in 40% to 60% of children. If chemotherapy is added, the 10-year overall survival rate is between 70% and 80%.
