Adenocarcinomatous transformation of intracranial germ cell tumors

Germ cell tumors arising in the gonads, retroperitoneum, and mediastinum are occasionally overgrown by cancers of somatic type that are widely assumed to derive from the "malignant transformation" of included teratomatous tissues. These malignant, nongerminal neoplasms are typically chemor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of surgical pathology Vol. 19; no. 5; p. 537
Main Authors Freilich, R J, Thompson, S J, Walker, R W, Rosenblum, M K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.05.1995
Subjects
Adenocarcinoma - pathology
Adult
Brain Neoplasms - pathology
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - pathology
Child
Germinoma - pathology
Humans
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Male
Pineal Gland - pathology
Teratoma - pathology
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Summary:Germ cell tumors arising in the gonads, retroperitoneum, and mediastinum are occasionally overgrown by cancers of somatic type that are widely assumed to derive from the "malignant transformation" of included teratomatous tissues. These malignant, nongerminal neoplasms are typically chemoresistant, and their emergence is often associated with fatal treatment failure. Only rare, well-documented reports of sarcomatous transformation complicating intracranial germ cell neoplasia are on record. We describe two nongerminomatous germ cell tumors of the pineal region that underwent transformation into enteric-type adenocarcinoma. Both recurred in a locally aggressive fashion, one proving rapidly fatal owing to the development of multiple cerebral and cerebellar metastases and spinal leptomeningeal adenocarcinomatosis.
ISSN:0147-5185
DOI:10.1097/00000478-199505000-00005