Abstract
In contrast to disseminated extraneural germinoma, systemic chemotherapy in disseminated central nervous system germinoma often results in only transient responses. After surgery, cytoreduction was accomplished with systemic multiagent platinum-based chemotherapy in 4 consecutive patients known to have a poor prognosis, due to central nervous system germinoma at more than one anatomic site. When tumor enhancement resolved (i.e., blood-brain barrier integrity was restored), intensive consolidation therapy with carboplatin and etoposide was given in association with mannitol-induced osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption. Complete responses occurred in all 4 patients and currently 3 are tumor-free without radiotherapy 24-40 months from diagnosis, suggesting the importance of increased drug delivery for an extended period.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 16-22 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Pediatric Neurosurgery |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1994 |
Keywords
- Blood-brain barrier disruption
- Disseminated CNS germinoma
- Platinum-based chemotherapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Surgery
- Clinical Neurology