Germ Cell Tumors
Overview
What is Germ Cell Tumors?
A germ cell tumor forms from germ cells, which are embryonic cells that develop into reproductive organs. Germ cell tumors primary occur in young people between the ages of 11 and 30. These tumors can be either benign or malignant. There are two main types of germ cell tumors of the brain – germinomas and non-germinomatous tumors; if they include aspects of both, they are called mixed germ cell tumors.
Causes of Germ Cell tumor?
Normal germ cells form in a developing human embryo. These cells eventually travel to the embryo’s ovaries or testicles, becoming egg cells or sperm cells.
In contrast, germ cell tumors consist of cells that don’t develop into fully formed eggs or sperm. The germ cells divide abnormally and become a tumor in your ovaries or testicles instead. In the case of extragonadal tumors, the germ cells travel to odd places in your body — like your chest, brain, belly, low back and tailbone — to form tumors.
Risk Factors
Causes of a Germ Cell Tumor
Causes of germ cell tumors are not well known. Certain genetic conditions may predispose you to having a germ cell tumor.
Diagnosis
If a brain tumor is suspected to be of germ cell origin, the work-up will include MRI imaging of the entire central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) due to their propensity to spread through the cerebrospinal fluid. Your doctor may also check for biomarkers in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Sometimes a biopsy will still be necessary to determine the diagnosis.
Treatment
Because diagnosis and treatment of germ cell tumors is often complicated and nuanced, the team at Penn includes neurosurgery, oncology, and radiation oncology. The multidisciplinary team draws on their extensive experience treating these tumors to come up with a personalized treatment plan for every patient.
Most germ cell tumors are treated with chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania offers the targeted personalized medicine approaches to the treatment of these tumors, as well as the latest in radiation technology including proton beam therapy.
