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Pineal region tumours of childhood

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Abstract

In Germany, the relative frequency of pineal region tumours seems to be much higher than hitherto assumed. At the University Hospital Hamburg, from 1980–1985 17 children with pineal region tumours were encountered amongst 102 children with CNS tumours.

Two-cell-type germinoma is the most frequent pineal region tumour. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology is highly successful in identifying this germ cell tumour. Surgical removal has become a reasonably safe procedure in the treatment of pineal region tumours and was successful in all 10 cases so treated. In addition, our patients with two-cell-type germinomas received craniospinal axis radiation. All children, treated by both surgical removal and craniospinal exis radiation are so far relapse-free and are functioning on a pretreatment level.

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Abbreviations

CEA:

Carcino-embryonal antigen

CSF:

cerebrospinal fluid

GFA:

glial fibril antigen

HCG:

human chorionic gonadotrophin

HE:

haematoxylin-eosin

NSE:

neuron specific enolase

PAP:

peroxidase anti-peroxidase

PAS:

periodic acid Schiff reagent

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-2000, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    F. J. Schulte & S. Bartels

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-2000, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. D. Herrmann & D. Müller

  3. Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-2000, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. Franke

  4. Department of Pathology, Marienkrankenhaus, D-2000, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    W. Saeger

  5. Department of Neuropathology, University of Göttingen, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    F. W. Spaar

Authors
  1. F. J. Schulte
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  2. H. D. Herrmann
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  3. D. Müller
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  4. H. Franke
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  5. W. Saeger
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  6. F. W. Spaar
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  7. S. Bartels
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Schulte, F.J., Herrmann, H.D., Müller, D. et al. Pineal region tumours of childhood. Eur J Pediatr 146, 233–245 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00716466

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00716466

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