Stereotactic radiation therapy for residual chemorefractory primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumor after surgical thoracotomy.

Among germ cell tumors (GCTs), postpubertal primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (PMNSGCTs) have the worse prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of 45% to 50% in the most recent and largest series. 1 Fizazi K Culine S Droz JP et al. Primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: Results of modern therapy including cisplatin-based chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 1998; 16: 725-732 Crossref PubMed Scopus (78) Google Scholar , 2 Albany C Einhorn LH Extragonadal germ cell tumors: Clinical presentation and management. Curr Opin Oncol. 2013; 25: 261-265 Crossref PubMed Scopus (79) Google Scholar This rare tumor represents only 1% of all primary mediastinal tumors, whereas only 1% to 5% of all GCTs are extragonadal, with the mediastinum being the most frequent location. [2] Albany C Einhorn LH Extragonadal germ cell tumors: Clinical presentation and management. Curr Opin Oncol. 2013; 25: 261-265 Crossref PubMed Scopus (79) Google Scholar As a result, dedicated literature on this specific subgroup of GCT is limited.