Malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumour in an adult

Aust N Z J Surg. 1996 Mar;66(3):185-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1996.tb01156.x.

Abstract

In adults, malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumour is a rare cause for a presacral tumour, with only 17 cases having been reported in the literature since 1907. We report the case of a 34 year old male who presented with a 6 month history of symptoms relating to a malignant presacral tumour which required en bloc excision including the lower sacrum and rectum. He died with lung and mediastinal metastasis 7 months following surgical excision and adjuvant chemotherapy using Cisplatin, Bleomycin and Etoposide. Prior to his death, he had a severe polyarthritis of his peripheral joints and evidence of hypertrophic osteo-arthropathy. The literature indicates that adults with these tumours have a poor prognosis, with only one reported long-term survivor. Surgical excision offers the only chance of cure, with the role of adjuvant therapy not having been defined because of the small numbers.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis / chemically induced
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Coccyx / pathology*
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Germinoma / pathology*
  • Germinoma / secondary
  • Germinoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / secondary
  • Osteoarthropathy, Secondary Hypertrophic / chemically induced
  • Pelvic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Pelvic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Prognosis
  • Sacrum / pathology*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Bleomycin
  • Etoposide
  • Cisplatin