Ocular manifestations of intracranial germinomas: three cases report and literature review.
- Author:
Wen-Bin HUANG
1
;
Xiu-Lan ZHANG
;
Wei WANG
;
Yan-Li DAI
;
Huai-Yu QIU
;
Shi-Hui WEI
Author Information
1. Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China.
- Publication Type:Case Reports
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Brain Neoplasms;
diagnosis;
physiopathology;
Female;
Germinoma;
diagnosis;
physiopathology;
Humans;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Vision Disorders;
physiopathology;
Young Adult
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2012;125(15):2790-2793
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Intracranial germinomas are malignant neoplasms of gonadal origin, which have some features in terms of age, sex, and clinical manifestations. They mainly occur in children and adolescents. Patients with intracranial germinomas mainly manifest with hypothalamic pituitary axis dysfunction and/or compression syndromes. Visual disturbance is one of the most significant clinical presentations, which is mainly caused by tumor cell infiltration into the optic pathway. In this article, we present three cases of patient with intracranial germinoma to analyze the ocular manifestations. All the three patients presented with endocrine symptoms in the early stage and with visual disturbances (including decreased visual acuity and visual field defects) later. In general, germinoma is diagnosed by its characteristic radiological appearance, supported by tumor markers and/or stereotactic biopsy. However, decisive diagnoses were established when ocular manifestations were presented. A suspicion for germinoma should be considered, when young patients manifest visual disturbances accompanied by endocrine symptoms.
