Treatment Options for Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors

Newly Diagnosed Germinomas
Newly Diagnosed Teratomas
Newly Diagnosed Nongerminomas
Recurrent Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors

Treatment may include the following:

• Radiation therapy to the tumor and ventricles (fluid -filled spaces) of the brain. A higher dose of radiation is given to the tumor than the area around the tumor.
• Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy given in lower doses depending on the patient's response.

Treatment may include the following:

• Surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy may be given if some of the tumor remains.

Treatment of choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, or mixed germ cell tumor may include the following:

• Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue using the patient's own stem cells.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy given in lower doses depending on the patient's response.

Sometimes the tumor marker level decreases after initial treatment but the tumor can still be seen in imaging tests. Surgery may be done to remove as much of the tumor as possible and do a biopsy.

Treatment may include the following:

• Surgery.
• Radiation therapy to the tumor or to the whole brain and spinal cord.
• Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
• High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue using the patient's own stem cells.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.