Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors in Adolescents and Young Adults: A 40-Year Multi-Institutional Review of Outcomes

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the practice patterns and outcomes of intracranial germ cell tumors (IGCT) in adolescents and young adults according to different therapeutic approaches. Methods and Materials One-hundred twelve patients with IGCT aged 15 to 39 years were managed at either British Columbia Cancer Agency or Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 1975 to 2015. The charts were retrospectively reviewed and data collected. Results Median duration of follow-up was 8.3 years. Ninety-four patients had germinomas, and 18 had nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT). The primary disease sites were pineal gland (37 of 94 germinoma, 14 of 18 NGGCT) and suprasellar region (23 of 94 germinoma, 2 of 18 NGGCT). Eleven patients with germinoma (12%) and 2 patients with NGGCT (11%) had radiographic spinal metastases or positive lumbar cerebrospinal fluid cytology. Event-free survival (EFS) was 84% and overall survival (OS) was 90% at 10 years for germinoma; EFS was 71% and OS was 86% at 10 years for NGGCT. For patients with germinoma, 10-year EFS was 100% after craniospinal radiation therapy (CSRT) with chemotherapy (N = 10); 100% after whole-ventricular radiation therapy (WVRT), whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), or focal radiation therapy (FRT) with chemotherapy (N = 22); 90% after CSRT alone (N = 46); and 41% after WVRT, WBRT, or FRT alone (N = 16) (P Conclusions We report excellent overall outcomes according to treatment approach in the largest study of IGCT in adolescents and young adults to our knowledge. EFS and OS were inferior after non-CSRT without chemotherapy in germinoma.