Management of germ cell tumors

Abstract

Germ cell tumors typically present in younger age populations and are known to be extremely sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation. As a result of this, remarkable progress has been achieved for offering a high degree of curative outcomes for these tumor types using a stepwise, stage-specific integration of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. A common theme in the treatment paradigm is to offer high cure rates without compromising on fertility in this typically young population of patients. This chapter will summarize the management of germ cell tumors using testicular germ cell tumors as the prototype example since it has been studied extensively. Principles of management of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are currently based on treatments that have evolved from the study of testicular cancer and also offer a high rate of cure.