Mediastinal germ cell tumour with massive pulmonary involvement

BMJ Case Rep. 2011 Aug 11:2011:bcr1220103671. doi: 10.1136/bcr.12.2010.3671.

Abstract

Multimodality treatment, with chemotherapy and surgery, is potentially curative in case of non-seminomatous germ cell tumours. The authors present the case of a primitive mediastinal GTC with bilateral lung metastases. The patient was treated with five cycles of chemotherapy. Restaging showed reduction of the extent and of 18 FDG intake and β-HCG serum levels. The patient underwent two-step surgical excision of the tumours: mediastinal lesion and 35 lung metastases were resected by a right thoracotomy and 39 metastases were removed by a left thoracotomy. Histology showed absence of viable tumour in all the specimens. Twelve months after surgery the patient is free of disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / therapy
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / therapy
  • Radiography