Abstract
Intracranial germinomas comprise 0.5–2.0 % of all central nervous system (CNS) tumors and 50–60 % of CNS germ cell tumors. They most frequently originate in the pineal gland and the suprasellar region. The corpus callosum is an extremely uncommon location for germinoma formation. Herein, we report about a 20-year-old man with a germinoma centered at the corpus callosum and that extended to both cerebral hemispheres. In addition to its location, this case is unique in that the amount of tumor cells with rhabdoid morphology exceeded that of tumor cells with typical morphology. The rhabdoid cell component showed an immunophenotype compatible with germinoma. While the presence of rhabdoid cells is generally regarded as a sign of aggressive behavior, the patient has been doing well for at least 4 years since undergoing radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The cellular composition of germinoma might not critically affect prognosis with adequate treatment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gao Y, Jiang J, Liu Q (2014) Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of primary central nervous system germ cell tumors: a 24-years experience. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 7(10):6965–6972
Jennings MT, Gelman R, Hochberg F (1985) Intracranial germ-cell tumors: natural history and pathogenesis. J Neurosurg 63(2):155–167. doi:10.3171/jns.1985.63.2.0155
Matsutani M, Sano K, Takakura K, Fujimaki T, Nakamura O, Funata N, Seto T (1997) Primary intracranial germ cell tumors: a clinical analysis of 153 histologically verified cases. J Neurosurg 86(3):446–455. doi:10.3171/jns.1997.86.3.0446
Tso WW, Yung AW, Lau HY, Chan GC (2014) Basal ganglia germinoma: MRI classification correlates well with neurological and cognitive outcome. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 36(7):e443–e447. doi:10.1097/MPH.0000000000000014
Sartori S, Laverda AM, Calderone M, Carollo C, Viscardi E, Faggin R, Perilongo G (2007) Germinoma with synchronous involvement of midline and off-midline structures associated with progressive hemiparesis and hemiatrophy in a young adult. Childs Nerv Syst 23(11):1341–1345. doi:10.1007/s00381-007-0390-x
Utsuki S, Oka H, Tanizaki Y, Kondo K, Fujii K (2005) Radiological features of germinoma arising from atypical locations. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 45(5):268–271
Kawai N, Miyake K, Nishiyama Y, Yamamoto Y, Miki A, Haba R, Imai T, Tamiya T, Nagao S (2008) Targeting optimal biopsy location in basal ganglia germinoma using (11)C-methionine positron emission tomography. Surg Neurol 70(4):408–413. doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2007.04.010 (discussion 413)
Fujiwara K, Uenohara H, Suzuki H, Sakurai Y (2002) Intracranial germinoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells in the cerebellopontine angle–case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 42(3):132–136
Yen PS, Chou AS, Chen CJ, Jung SM, Chuang HL, Scott RM (2003) Primary medulla oblongata germinoma: a case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 62(3):339–342
Madhukar M, Maller VG, Choudhary AK, Iantosca MR, Specht CS, Dias MS (2013) Primary intramedullary spinal cord germinoma. J Neurosurg Pediatr 11(5):605–609. doi:10.3171/2013.1.PEDS12402
Tamaki N, Lin T, Shirataki K, Hosoda K, Kurata H, Matsumoto S, Ito H (1990) Germ cell tumors of the thalamus and the basal ganglia. Childs Nerv Syst 6(1):3–7
McCarthy BJ, Shibui S, Kayama T, Miyaoka E, Narita Y, Murakami M, Matsuda A, Matsuda T, Sobue T, Palis BE, Dolecek TA, Kruchko C, Engelhard HH, Villano JL (2012) Primary CNS germ cell tumors in Japan and the United States: an analysis of 4 tumor registries. Neuro Oncol 14(9):1194–1200. doi:10.1093/neuonc/nos155
Packer RJ, Cohen BH, Cooney K (2000) Intracranial germ cell tumors. Oncologist 5(4):312–320
So SC, Ho J (1980) Multiple primary germinomas (ectopic pinealoma) of the brain. Neurochirurgia (Stuttg) 23(4):147–150. doi:10.1055/s-2008-1053876
Liang L, Korogi Y, Sugahara T, Ikushima I, Shigematsu Y, Okuda T, Takahashi M, Kochi M, Ushio Y (2002) MRI of intracranial germ-cell tumours. Neuroradiology 44(5):382–388. doi:10.1007/s00234-001-0752-0
Yonezawa H, Shinsato Y, Obara S, Oyoshi T, Hirano H, Kitajima S, Arita K (2010) Germinoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells arising in the corpus callosum. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 50(7):588–591
Chuan Aaron FS, Dawn CQ, Kenneth CT, Hoe NW, Yen SS, Chee Kian T (2013) Primary human chorionic gonadotropin secreting germinoma of the corpus callosum. Surg Neurol Int 4:137. doi:10.4103/2152-7806.119537
Yang P, Li L, Kuang W, Li B, Zhou B, Yang J, Huang H (2014) Intracranial multiple germ cell tumors: a case report and review of literature. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 7(12):9002–9007
Qu B, Du L, Huang Y, Yu W, Cai B, Xu S, Ma L (2014) Clinical analysis of intracranial germinoma’s craniospinal irradiation using helical tomotherapy. Chin J Cancer Res 26(3):247–254. doi:10.3978/j.issn.1000-9604.2014.05.02
Kodet R, Newton WA Jr, Hamoudi AB, Asmar L (1991) Rhabdomyosarcomas with intermediate-filament inclusions and features of rhabdoid tumors. Light microscopic and immunohistochemical study. Am J Surg Pathol 15(3):257–267
Oshiro Y, Shiratsuchi H, Oda Y, Toyoshima S, Tsuneyoshi M (2000) Rhabdoid features in leiomyosarcoma of soft tissue: with special reference to aggressive behavior. Mod Pathol 13(11):1211–1218. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3880225
Tsuneyoshi M, Daimaru Y, Hashimoto H, Enjoji M (1987) The existence of rhabdoid cells in specified soft tissue sarcomas. Histopathological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical evidence. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol 411(6):509–514
Gokden N, Nappi O, Swanson PE, Pfeifer JD, Vollmer RT, Wick MR, Humphrey PA (2000) Renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid features. Am J Surg Pathol 24(10):1329–1338
Ueyama T, Nagai E, Yao T, Tsuneyoshi M (1993) Vimentin-positive gastric carcinomas with rhabdoid features. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study. Am J Surg Pathol 17(8):813–819
Wick MR, Ritter JH, Dehner LP (1995) Malignant rhabdoid tumors: a clinicopathologic review and conceptual discussion. Semin Diagn Pathol 12(3):233–248
Iczkowski KA, Butler SL, Shanks JH, Hossain D, Schall A, Meiers I, Zhou M, Torkko KC, Kim SJ, MacLennan GT (2008) Trials of new germ cell immunohistochemical stains in 93 extragonadal and metastatic germ cell tumors. Hum Pathol 39(2):275–281. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2007.07.002
Mei K, Liu A, Allan RW, Wang P, Lane Z, Abel TW, Wei L, Cheng H, Guo S, Peng Y, Rakheja D, Wang M, Ma J, Rodriguez MM, Li J, Cao D (2009) Diagnostic utility of SALL4 in primary germ cell tumors of the central nervous system: a study of 77 cases. Mod Pathol 22(12):1628–1636. doi:10.1038/modpathol.2009.148
Yang M, Chen X, Wang N, Zhu K, Hu YZ, Zhao Y, Shu Y, Zhao ML, Gu WZ, Tang HF (2014) Primary atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of central nervous system in children: a clinicopathological analysis and review of literature in China. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 7(5):2411–2420
Hollmann TJ, Hornick JL (2011) INI1-deficient tumors: diagnostic features and molecular genetics. Am J Surg Pathol 35(10):e47–e63. doi:10.1097/PAS.0b013e31822b325b
Rao Q, **a QY, Shen Q, Shi SS, Tu P, Shi QL, Zhou XJ (2014) Coexistent loss of INI1 and BRG1 expression in a rhabdoid renal cell carcinoma (RCC): implications for a possible role of SWI/SNF complex in the pathogenesis of RCC. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 7(4):1782–1787
Perrino CM, Hucthagowder V, Evenson M, Kulkarni S, Humphrey PA (2015) Genetic alterations in renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid differentiation. Hum Pathol 46(1):9–16. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2014.09.001
Strehl JD, Wachter DL, Fiedler J, Heimerl E, Beckmann MW, Hartmann A, Agaimy A (2015) Pattern of SMARCB1 (INI1) and SMARCA4 (BRG1) in poorly differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus: analysis of a series with emphasis on a novel SMARCA4-deficient dedifferentiated rhabdoid variant. Ann Diagn Pathol. doi:10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2015.04.001
Kanamori M, Kumabe T, Saito R, Yamashita Y, Sonoda Y, Ariga H, Takai Y, Tominaga T (2009) Optimal treatment strategy for intracranial germ cell tumors: a single institution analysis. J Neurosurg Pediatr 4(6):506–514. doi:10.3171/2009.7.PEDS08288
Huo L, Wang X, Allen PK, Wang L, Liao Y, Han Z, Shen L, Tu Q, Zhong M, Zhuang Y, Li J, Hong J (2015) Predictors of long-term survival following postoperative radiochemotherapy for pathologically confirmed suprasellar germ cell tumors. Mol Clin Oncol 3(2):430–434. doi:10.3892/mco.2014.461
Uematsu Y, Tsuura Y, Miyamoto K, Itakura T, Hayashi S, Komai N (1992) The recurrence of primary intracranial germinomas. Special reference to germinoma with STGC (syncytiotrophoblastic giant cell). J Neurooncol 13(3):247–256
Shibamoto Y, Takahashi M, Sasai K (1997) Prognosis of intracranial germinoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells treated by radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 37(3):505–510
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tajima, S., Koda, K. Germinoma with an extensive rhabdoid cell component centered at the corpus callosum. Med Mol Morphol 50, 52–58 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00795-015-0111-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00795-015-0111-6