Brain germ cell tumors are intracranial malignant tumors that originate from germ cells and are more common in children and adolescents. They occur mainly in the midline areas of the brain, including the pineal region and saddle area, and rarely in the ventricles or cerebral hemispheres. Clinical manifestations include headache, vomiting and optic papillary edema due to pressure, and hydrocephalus due to obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Depending on the location of the tumor and the gradual increase of the tumor, symptoms such as impaired eye movement, vision loss, hearing loss and unstable walking may occur. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the main means of treatment is radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If the tumor is huge, has obvious compression symptoms or hydrocephalus symptoms, surgery can be performed first to relieve the compression and hydrocephalus, and then radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be administered. Germ cell tumors are sensitive to radiotherapy, and the five-year survival rate of germ cell tumors is about 90% with radiation therapy alone. In recent years, due to the application of chemotherapy, the dose of radiotherapy can be appropriately reduced and patients suffer less.
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