Article Full Title: Outcomes of patients with intracranial germ cell
tumour with choriocarcinoma element or β-HCG level higher than 500 IU/L
under radiotherapy-based treatments Short Running Title: Intracranial
choriocarcinoma
Abstract
Background: In previous studies, patients with intracranial
germ cell tumour (iGCT) with pure choriocarcinoma or mixed germ cell
tumours with choriocarcinoma element showed similar dismal prognoses,
with median overall survival (OS) of 22 months and 1-year survival rate
of approximately 60%. However, these conclusions need to be updated
because radiotherapy, which is the milestone for this disease, was not
applied in a number of patients. Methods: Clinical data of
patients with iGCTs with histologically confirmed choriocarcinoma
element or beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) > 500
IU/L were collected from the archives of our institution and
retrospectively studied. Results: A total of 76 patients were
eligible for this study. In terms of the initial treatment, 11 patients
underwent surgery, four patients received radiotherapy, and 61 patients
received chemotherapy. Except for two early deaths, all patients
received radiotherapy (craniospinal irradiation [CSI], n=23;
non-CSI, n=51). The median follow-up duration for the entire series was
63 months (range, 6–188 months). The 5-year event-free survival (EFS)
and OS rates were 81.5% and 84.1%, respectively. Among patients who
did not have early death or progressive disease after induction
chemotherapy, multivariate analysis revealed that chemotherapy cycles
(>4 vs. ≤4) (hazard ratio [HR] for EFS 0.144, p=0.020;
HR for OS 0.111, p=0.028) and β-HCG levels (>3000 IU/L vs.
≤3000 IU/L) (HR for EFS 4.342, p=0.059; HR for OS 6.614, p=0.033) were
independent factors for survival. Radiation volume (non-CSI vs. CSI) was
not proven to be a prognostic factor for either EFS or OS (HR for EFS
1.902, p=0.59; HR for OS 2.425, p=0.49). Conclusions: Patients
with iGCTs with choriocarcinoma element or β-HCG >500 IU/L
showed improved survival with radiotherapy-based treatments. Additional
chemotherapy cycles could result in additional survival benefits.
Patients with β-HCG level >3000 IU/L had poorer prognosis.