TY - JOUR
T1 - Is chemotherapy effective therapy for intracranial immature teratoma? A case report
AU - Garrè, Maria L.
AU - El-Hossainy, Mohamed Omar
AU - Fondelli, Paola
AU - Göbel, Ulrich
AU - Brisigotti, Massimo
AU - Donati, Paolo Tortori
AU - Nantron, Marilina
AU - Ravegnani, Marcello
AU - Garaventa, Alberto
AU - De Bernardi, Bruno
PY - 1996/3/1
Y1 - 1996/3/1
N2 - BACKGROUND. Intracranial immature teratomas (IT) are very rare germ cell tumors (GCT). The value of chemotherapy in their treatment has not been defined. METHODS. A child was referred to our hospital for consultation regarding the need for adjuvant treatment after being operated upon twice (at the age of 7 months and 11 months) for a large supratentorial intracerebral mass. The patient was staged and the tumor specimens reviewed. Histology was that of an IT with no other type of malignant GCT. RESULTS. Considering the age, lack of any sign of residual tumor by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, absence of tumor cells in the spinal fluid or elevation of tumor markers, and based on the reported poor response of such tumors to chemotherapy, a policy of 'wait and see' was adopted. One month later, the child presented with a rapidly growing intracranial mass invading the cranial hones on the left side. Chemotherapy consisting of 4 cycles of carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin followed by another 4 cycles of ifosfamide, vincristine, and dactinomycin alternating with carboplatin and etoposide, achieved complete remission, and 24 months after discontinuation of treatment, the patient continued free of disease. CONCLUSIONS. This report indicates that chemotherapy may be effective therapy for intracranial IT. In our patient, chemotherapy modified the natural aggressive behavior of this disease and achieved a persistent, complete remission. Given the minimal information available in the literature concerning the response of IT to chemotherapy, this case addresses the issue of whether chemotherapy alone is adequate to treat intracranial germ cell tumors.
AB - BACKGROUND. Intracranial immature teratomas (IT) are very rare germ cell tumors (GCT). The value of chemotherapy in their treatment has not been defined. METHODS. A child was referred to our hospital for consultation regarding the need for adjuvant treatment after being operated upon twice (at the age of 7 months and 11 months) for a large supratentorial intracerebral mass. The patient was staged and the tumor specimens reviewed. Histology was that of an IT with no other type of malignant GCT. RESULTS. Considering the age, lack of any sign of residual tumor by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, absence of tumor cells in the spinal fluid or elevation of tumor markers, and based on the reported poor response of such tumors to chemotherapy, a policy of 'wait and see' was adopted. One month later, the child presented with a rapidly growing intracranial mass invading the cranial hones on the left side. Chemotherapy consisting of 4 cycles of carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin followed by another 4 cycles of ifosfamide, vincristine, and dactinomycin alternating with carboplatin and etoposide, achieved complete remission, and 24 months after discontinuation of treatment, the patient continued free of disease. CONCLUSIONS. This report indicates that chemotherapy may be effective therapy for intracranial IT. In our patient, chemotherapy modified the natural aggressive behavior of this disease and achieved a persistent, complete remission. Given the minimal information available in the literature concerning the response of IT to chemotherapy, this case addresses the issue of whether chemotherapy alone is adequate to treat intracranial germ cell tumors.
KW - chemotherapy
KW - germ cell tumors
KW - intracranial teratoma
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U2 - 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960301)77:5<977::AID-CNCR26>3.0.CO;2-#
DO - 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960301)77:5<977::AID-CNCR26>3.0.CO;2-#
M3 - Article
C2 - 8608493
VL - 77
SP - 977
EP - 982
JO - Cancer
JF - Cancer
SN - 0008-543X
IS - 5
ER -