Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0264733 (ventricular dilatation)
 2,163 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The occurrence sites of intracranial primary germ cell tumors are most often the pineal and suprasellar regions. The histological type observed most frequently in these tumors is germinoma. Cases of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia are rarely reported. To our knowledge, only 4 such cases have been previously reported in the literature. A case of an embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia is reported. A 17-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital on July 30, 1988 because of headache and vomiting, and a right hemiparesis. On admission, physical inspection showed no abnormalities and neurological examination revealed obtunded consciousness, a right central facial paresis and a right hemiparesis with Hoffman and Babinski reflexes. Noncontrast CT scan showed a large mass of low-to slightly high-density in the region of the left basal ganglia accompanied with midline shift and ventricular dilatation. Enhancement of the lesion was made by contrast CT scan. It was not homogeneous. Cerebral angiogram displayed a contralateral shift and an unrolling of the anterior cerebral artery, a lateral stretch of middle cerebral artery, a downward stretch of anterior choroidal artery and a tumor stain fed by the Heubner artery. On August 3, left frontotemporal craniotomy was performed. The tumor was totally removed in a piecemeal manner using microsurgical techniques. Histopathological diagnosis was mixed-type of germ cell tumor comprising embryonal carcinoma and teratoma. Postoperative CT scan showed complete disappearance of the tumor. A course of radiation of 4950 rads and two courses of a combination chemotherapy with cis-platinum, vinblastine and bleomycin were given within 3 months after the operation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[A case of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia of the cerebrum]. 169 58

Clinical characteristics of six cases of germinoma involving a unilateral basal ganglion and thalamus are summarized. The incidence was estimated as 10% of all intracranial germinomas. The average age at the onset was 10.5 years. The sex incidence showed a male dominance. The clinical course was slowly progressive, and the average duration between onset and diagnosis was 2 years 5 months. Common symptoms and signs were hemiparesis in all cases, fever of unknown origin and eye symptoms in most, mental deterioration and psychiatric signs in three, and convulsions, pubertas praecox, and diabetes insipidus in two. Signs of increased intracranial pressure were found in only two cases in the later state of the disease. Early diagnosis is difficult because of nonspecific symptomatology and slow progression. Carotid angiography and pneumoencephalography showed abnormal findings compatible with basal ganglia and thalamic tumors, but not specific to germinoma. Ipsilateral cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation might be significant findings. Radioisotope scanning was useful. Computerized tomography scans were the best method of detecting the location and nature of this tumor, and repeat scans showed response to radiation therapy.
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PMID:Unilateral germinomas involving the basal ganglia and thalamus. 724 Dec 16

Cases of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia are rarely reported. According to the literature available, only 5 cases of embryonal carcinoma, arising from the basal ganglia, have been reported to date. This paper reports one such case we recently encountered. The patient was a 15-year-old boy. He was first admitted to another hospital because of occasional headache and vomiting. During the hospital stay, CT scans revealed abnormalities. For this reason, the patient was referred to our critical care center. Upon admission to our center, a physical examination revealed no abnormalities, but neurological examination disclosed left hemiparesis. CT scans revealed a large mass lesion of a low to high density in the right basal ganglia, accompanied by midline shift and ventricular dilatation. Elevation of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was observed. The tumor with multiple cysts was removed totally by craniotomy. The removed tissue was rated histopathologically as mixed-type germ cell tumor composed of germinoma and embryonal carcinoma. The removed tumor cells were found immunohistologically to contain HCG and AFP. Postoperative CT scans showed complete disappearance of the tumor. Taking into account a recent report that a combined cisplatin and etoposide therapy (PE chemotherapy) was effective in treating intracranial germ cell tumors, we used this chemotherapy for postoperative management of this patient. The patient underwent 3 cycles of PE chemotherapy during the 3 months after surgery. The elevated HCG and AFP levels in serum and CSF returned to their normal range within 2 months after surgery. CT and tumor markers revealed no signs of recurrence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Cisplatin-etoposide chemotherapy of an embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia of the cerebrum: a case report]. 807 94

Since its introduction in the neurosurgical field, neuroendoscopy has played an important role in the treatment of pineal germ cell tumors. The authors report a case of pineal germinoma revealing spontaneous regression before neuroendoscopic surgery. A 15-year-old boy presented with chronic headache, deterioration of his visual acuity, and diplopia. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large tumor in the pineal region and triventricular hydrocephalus due to occlusion of the aqueduct. As levels of tumor markers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, including those of alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and the beta-subunit of hCG, were all within the normal ranges, endoscopic surgery for biopsy and third ventriculocisternostomy was performed. Under endoscopic view, the tumor was revealed to be smaller than expected from preoperative images. MRI obtained 14 days after admission disclosed marked shrinkage of the tumor. The histopathological diagnosis was pure germinoma, and the patient underwent chemotherapy combined with fractionated radiotherapy. The tumor disappeared, and the patient did not show any signs of relapse. Spontaneous regression is a very rare phenomenon in malignant brain tumors, and in the literature it has been uncommonly described in pineal germ cell tumors. Our case disclosed a pitfall of modern strategy for this pathology with neuroendoscopy. Dilated ventricles and a certain amount of lesion are factors for safe endoscopic biopsy of pineal tumors. Radiographic images shortly before surgery are warranted, especially in patients whose symptoms of intracranial hypertension have already improved before surgery.
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PMID:Spontaneous regression of germinoma in the pineal region before endoscopic surgery: a pitfall of modern strategy for pineal germ cell tumors. 2094 6

Germ cell tumors typically occur in children and adolescents. We here report a rare case of de novo pineal region germinoma in the seventh decade of life. A 62-year-old man presented with double vision. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a heterogeneously enhanced tumor with calcification in the pineal region with ventricular dilatation due to aqueduct stenosis. The tumor had not been observed at all on MRI obtained 2 years previously. The patient underwent endoscopic biopsy and third ventriculostomy for the obstructive hydrocephalus. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as a pure germinoma. The patient underwent radiomonotherapy, resulting in his complete remission, which was confirmed by a series of follow-up MRI studies and hematological examinations. Intracranial germinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pineal region tumors regardless of age, even though the tumor was undetectable on the previous neuroimaging.
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PMID:De Novo Pineal Region Germinoma in the Seventh Decade of Life: A Case Report. 3141 35