[The clinical characteristics of primary intracranial germinoma].

Objective: To analyse the clinical characteristics of intracranial germinoma.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was applied to study the clinical characteristics of 26 intracranial germ cell tumor patients admitted to our hospital during 1991-2003. The clinical, biochemical and imaging profiles including human chorionic gonadotropin-beta, alphafetoprotein, MRI and CT as well as treatments were analysed.

Results: 26 intracranial germ cell tumor patients were admitted to our hospital during 1991-2003, accounting for 0.9% of all intracranial tumors (3020 cases) at the same time. Among these patients 19 cases (73.1%) were primary intracranial germinoma, 9 patients (47.4%) were female and 10 patients (52.6%) were male. 13 patients (68.4%) were younger than 20 years. 14 patients (73.7%) had headache, vomiting and nausea, 8 patients (42.1%) had diabetes insipidus, 5 patients (26.3%) had hypopituitarism. 9 patients' tumors (47.3%) were in pine region, 7 patients' tumors (38.8%) were in sellar region. 14 patients (73.7%) were treated wit radiotherapy and all of them were discharged with good condition. 10 patients were treated with operation (7 patients accepted radiotherapy after operation) and 2 of them died after operation.

Conclusions: Intracranial germinoma mainly affects female children and adolescents, pine and suprasellar regions are the commonly involved regions, the most common manifestations of intracranial germinoma are headache, vomiting, nausea, diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism. Radiotherapy has good efficacy in the treatment of intracranial germinoma.