Can mixed pure hepatocellular carcinoma and germinoma arise together in the brain?

Lu-Jen Chen; I-Chun Lai; Tai-Tong Wong; Shih-Chieh Lin; Donald Ming-Tak Ho; Kai-Ping Chang; Wan-Yuo Guo; Sang-Hue Yen; Ming-Teh Chen; Yi-Wei Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jcma.2015.02.007

Can mixed pure hepatocellular carcinoma and germinoma arise together in the brain?

J Chin Med Assoc. 2015 Sep;78(9):562-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcma.2015.02.007. Epub 2015 Aug 20.

Authors

Lu-Jen Chen¹, I-Chun Lai², Tai-Tong Wong³, Shih-Chieh Lin⁴, Donald Ming-Tak Ho⁴, Kai-Ping Chang⁵, Wan-Yuo Guo⁶, Sang-Hue Yen⁷, Ming-Teh Chen⁸, Yi-Wei Chen⁹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Research and Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Nuclear Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
² Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
³ Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Pathology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁶ Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁷ Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁸ Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
⁹ Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: chenyw@vghtpe.gov.tw.

PMID: 26299462
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcma.2015.02.007

Abstract

Intracranial germ-cell tumors (GCTs) represent 10-15% of all pediatric brain tumors in East Asia. There is a wide histopathological spectrum of intracranial GCTs. Germinomas and nongerminomatous GCTs are the two major classifications. It is difficult to distinguish different subtypes of intracranial GCTs based solely on imaging studies, however, some tumor markers, such as α-fetoprotein or β-human chorionic gonadotropin, are helpful for diagnosis. In this study we present the case of a 13-year-old girl with an intracranial mixed GCT containing a hepatocellular carcinoma and germinoma without a primary liver tumor. Based on this unique pathological diagnosis, a series of treatments were applied, including surgery for gross tumor removal, adjuvant radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Long-term follow up indicates fair disease control.

Keywords: germ-cell tumor; germinoma; hepatocellular carcinoma; pediatric brain tumor; radiotherapy.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
Brain Neoplasms / surgery
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery
Combined Modality Therapy
Female
Humans
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / pathology*
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / surgery