[Extragonadal germ cell tumor in HIV+ female]

An Med Interna. 2004 Aug;21(8):397-9. doi: 10.4321/s0212-71992004000800009.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Extragodanal germ cell tumors (EGCT) are not common, especially among women. Although there is no evidence of relationship between this sort of tumor and HIV infection they can appear at the same time in a patient, because in both cases the maximum incidence occurs in patients in the same age group. We present the case of a 27 years old woman, poly-drug user, with a recently diagnosis of HIV infection, who was admitted to clinic because of infection and shortage of breath, and develops during her hospitalization diarrhoea, generalized tonic-clonic seizure and left hemiparesis. Complementary tests showed us diffuse interstitial pulmonary pattern, mediastinal mass with intrathoracic adenopathies, cerebral tumor and diffuse intestinal enlargement. The breath infection got better with a wide-ranging antibiotic treatment, which included cotrimoxazol and levofloxacin, but the brain tumor didńt get better with the antitoxoplasma treatment. The clinical presentation simulated in the beginning a disseminated lymphoma, in a HIV+ patient; nevertheless, after receiving the result of the biopsy of a supraclavicular adenopathy and a b-HCG, an extragodanal germ cell tumor was diagnosed. We haven't found any case of EGCT in young women infected with HIV in our bibliographical review (MEDLINE).

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Germinoma / complications*
  • Germinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Germinoma / pathology
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • HIV Infections / pathology
  • HIV-1*
  • Humans
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed