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Material and Method: A descriptive study was established by reviewing patients’ records from the Division of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology admitted between 2001 and 2008. Median follow-up time was 65 months. Patient characteristics, investigations, and treatment modalities were presented in proportion. Survival analysis was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method. The results were compared with the previous study in done in 1990 to 2000.
Results: Forty-two records were reviewed and 71% were male. The median age was 16 years. Pineal region was the most common site in 55%. Interestingly, 12% had synchronous lesions at both pineal and suprasellar regions. Out of 41 patients who had histopathological confirmation, 71% were germinoma. Out of 37 patients who had MRI spine or CSF cytology, 43% had CNS dissemination. Less aggressive radiotherapy combined with surgery and chemotherapy was increasingly utilized; however, five-year overall survival rate in all patients was 83%, comparable to 82% from the previous study. Survival rates of patients without CNS dissemination were 88% in the present study and 83% in the previous study. Survival rates adjusted for histopathology were 86% for germinoma and 76% for non-germinoma.
Conclusion: Less aggressive radiotherapy combined with surgery and chemotherapy to reduce radiation complication is an effective treatment for ICGCT.
Keywords: Intracranial germ cell tumors, Whole ventricular radiation, Management