Primary mediastinal germ cell tumour
Soh, L.T.; Ang, P.T.
Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore 25(2): 192-195
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0304-4602 PMID: 8799004 Document Number: 467632
Testicular germ cell tumour is said to be a model for curable neoplasm. However, the prognosis of primary extragonadal germ cell tumour does not appear to be as promising. Though similar in histology, the biology of primary extragonadal germ cell tumour is different as exemplified by the patients in this review. Eight patients with primary mediastinal germ cell tumours were treated with intensive cisplatin-based chemotherapy. All, except one, had non-seminomatous components. The poor prognosis of mediastinal germ cell tumour is due to a combination of poor treatment results with the cisplatin-based regimen and the development of non-germ cell and haematological malignancies.