Extracranial Malignant Germ Cell Tumors

Abstract

The outstanding clinical trials undertaken for the management of pediatric extracranial malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs) in the developed world in the last three decades has led to excellent longterm outcomes. The scenario in developing country like India is different; results are poor owing to multiple factors such as delayed presentation, misdiagnosis, and early abandonment of the therapy. The authors address here several aspects of this heterogeneous group of malignant tumors in children and adolescents such as the different staging systems, the risk stratification, the guidelines to treatment modalities, the outcome and prognostication.