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Epidemiological survey of central nervous system germ cell tumors in Canadian children

  • Clinical–Patient Studies
  • Published:
Journal of Neuro-Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To determine the incidence and characteristics of pediatric patients with central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCT) in Canada.

Method

A national retrospective review of hospital charts was done on all patients with CNS GCT diagnosed between 1990 and 2004. Patients had to be under age 18 years at the time of diagnosis of a CNS germ cell tumor and be a resident of Canada. Information extracted included age and year of diagnosis, pathological diagnosis, location of tumor, evidence of disseminated disease at time of diagnosis and biological markers.

Results

One hundred and twenty-one cases were identified (83 germinoma; 38 non-germinoma germ cell tumor). The mean annual incidence of CNS GCT was 1.06 per million children (0.7 per million for germinoma; 0.3 per million for NGGCT). Though yearly incidences varied, there was no clear trend to increased incidence. Male predominance was noted (2.4:1 for germinoma; 11:1 for NGGCT). The primary locations were the pineal and suprasellar regions. At the time of diagnosis, disseminated disease was not uncommon (22% germinoma; 32% NGGCT). β human gonadotrophin was elevated in the serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or both in 7% of patients with germinoma and 36% of patients with NGGCT. Elevation of α-fetoprotein in serum, CSF or both was seen in 34% of patients with NGGCT.

Conclusion

The incidence of CNS germ cell tumors in Canadian children is similar to that observed in other Western countries.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Road, K1H 8, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    D. Keene & D. Johnston

  2. Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    D. Strother

  3. British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    C. Fryer

  4. Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    A. S. Carret

  5. IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    B. Crooks

  6. Cancer Care Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

    D. Eisenstat

  7. St Justine’s Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    A. Moghrabi

  8. Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    B. Wilson

  9. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

    J. Brossard

  10. Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    C. Mpofu

  11. McMaster Medical Center, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    I. Odame

  12. Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

    S. Zelcer

  13. Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    M. Silva

  14. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

    Y. Samson

  15. Janeway Child Health Center, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

    J. Hand

  16. Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    E. Bouffet

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  1. D. Keene
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  2. D. Johnston
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  3. D. Strother
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  4. C. Fryer
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  5. A. S. Carret
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  6. B. Crooks
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  7. D. Eisenstat
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  8. A. Moghrabi
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  9. B. Wilson
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  10. J. Brossard
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  11. C. Mpofu
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  12. I. Odame
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  13. S. Zelcer
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  14. M. Silva
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  15. Y. Samson
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  16. J. Hand
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  17. E. Bouffet
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Keene.

Additional information

All authors are on behalf of the Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium

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Keene, D., Johnston, D., Strother, D. et al. Epidemiological survey of central nervous system germ cell tumors in Canadian children. J Neurooncol 82, 289–295 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-006-9282-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-006-9282-2

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