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Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Childhood CNS Nongerminomatous Germ Cell Tumors
Source: Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: October 8, 2024 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Treatment options for newly diagnosed childhood central nervous system (CNS) nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs) include the following:
Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
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Surgery, for tumors that partially respond to chemotherapy or for tumors that increase in size during or after therapy (possible growing teratoma syndrome).
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The optimal treatment regimen for CNS NGGCTs remains unclear.
The prognosis for children with CNS NGGCTs is inferior to that for children with germinomas, but the difference is diminishing with the addition of multimodality therapy. NGGCTs are radiosensitive, but patient survival rates after standard craniospinal irradiation alone has been poor, ranging from 20% to 45% at 5 years.[1] With the current treatment regimens, the 3-year to 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for patients with NGGCTs range from 75% to 90%.[2-4] In patients with NGGCTs who suffer tumor relapses, most occur within 3 years of diagnosis.[2]
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice