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Germ cell tumor (GCT) is a neoplasm derived from the primordial germ cells. [1] Germ-cell tumors can be cancerous or benign. Germ cells normally occur inside the gonads (ovary [2] and testis). GCTs that originate outside the gonads may be birth defects resulting from errors during development of the embryo.
Tumors 20 to 30 cm in diameter can exist with minimal symptomatology. Rare cases of adult onset acute megakaryoblastic leukemia are associated with malignant mediastinal germ cell tumor. In these cases, the mediastinal germ cell tumor develops before or concomitantly with but not after acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.
The tumor marker test includes two markers, AFP and β-hCG, to detect and classify which type of cancer cell is present. An increasing level in both markers indicates the sign of diagnosing germ cell tumor. AFP (IU/mL) or ng/mL is a protein which a very high concentration of AFP may lead to germ cell tumor. [14]
As with other germ-cell tumors (GCTs) occurring outside the gonads, the most common location of intracranial germinoma is on or near the midline, often in the pineal or suprasellar areas; in 5-10% of patients with germinoma in either area, the tumor is in both areas. Like other GCTs, germinomas can occur in other parts of the brain.
A dysgerminoma is a type of germ cell tumor; [1] it usually is malignant and usually occurs in the ovary.. A tumor of the identical histology but not occurring in the ovary may be described by an alternate name: seminoma in the testis [2] or germinoma in the central nervous system or other parts of the body.
An important key to distinguish it from other tumors, such as seminoma (vacuolated), teratocarcinoma (three differentiated germ layers), yolk sac tumor (Schiller–Duval bodies), and the Sertoli–Leydig cell tumor (strings of glands), is that the embryonal carcinoma cells are "trying" to evolve into their next stage of development.
The average age of diagnosis is between 35 and 50 years. This is about 5 to 10 years older than men with other germ cell tumors of the testes. In most cases, they produce masses that are readily felt on testicular self-examination; however, in up to 11 percent of cases, there may be no mass able to be felt, or there may be testicular atrophy ...
Mixed germ cell tumor containing embryonal carcinoma, seminoma, and yolk sac tumor. The embryonal carcinoma component (upper left, upper right, and lower left) shows pseudoglandular growth with high-grade features of large, epithelioid, anaplastic cells with prominent nucleoli, indistinct cell borders with nuclear overlapping, pleomorphism, and ...