Pineal germ cell tumors: Two cases with review of histopathologies and biomarkers

Daniel T Nagasawa; Carlito Lagman; Michael Sun; Andrew Yew; Lawrance K Chung; Seung J Lee; Timothy T Bui; Yinn Cher Ooi; R Aaron Robison; Gabriel Zada; Isaac Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2016.12.024

Pineal germ cell tumors: Two cases with review of histopathologies and biomarkers

J Clin Neurosci. 2017 Apr:38:23-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.12.024. Epub 2017 Feb 8.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: iyang@mednet.ucla.edu.

Abstract

Pineal germ cell tumors (GCTs) are primarily seen in pediatric and Asian populations. These tumors are divided into germinomatous and non-germinomatous GCTs (NGGCTs). GCTs are thought to arise by misplacement of totipotent stem cells en route to gonads during embryogenesis. Intracranial GCTs display an affinity to develop along the pineal-suprasellar axis and have variable manifestations dependent upon the location of the tumor. Management and outcomes are driven by histopathologies. In this study, we highlight two cases of pineal GCTs and present a review of the literature with an emphasis on histopathologies and biomarkers.

Keywords: Germ cell tumor; Germinoma; Intracranial neoplasms; Pathology; Yolk sac tumor.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Biomarkers, Tumor*
Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
Germinoma / pathology*
Humans
Male
Pineal Gland / pathology*
Young Adult

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor

Grants and funding

P30 CA014089/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States