Therapeutic dilemma of disseminated CNS germinoma and the potential of increased platinum-based chemotherapy delivery with osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption

Pediatr Neurosurg. 1994;21(1):16-22. doi: 10.1159/000120809.

Abstract

In contrast to disseminated extraneural germinoma, systemic chemotherapy in disseminated central nervous system germinoma often results in only transient responses. After surgery, cytoreduction was accomplished with systemic multiagent platinum-based chemotherapy in 4 consecutive patients known to have a poor prognosis, due to central nervous system germinoma at more than one anatomic site. When tumor enhancement resolved (i.e., blood-brain barrier integrity was restored), intensive consolidation therapy with carboplatin and etoposide was given in association with mannitol-induced osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption. Complete responses occurred in all 4 patients and currently 3 are tumor-free without radiotherapy 24-40 months from diagnosis, suggesting the importance of increased drug delivery for an extended period.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Blood-Brain Barrier*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Carboplatin / adverse effects
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use*
  • Cisplatin / adverse effects
  • Cisplatin / therapeutic use*
  • Etoposide / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Germinoma / drug therapy*
  • Germinoma / pathology*
  • Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / etiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mannitol / administration & dosage
  • Mannitol / therapeutic use*
  • Platinum / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Mannitol
  • Platinum
  • Etoposide
  • Carboplatin
  • Cisplatin