Germinoma of the Pineal Body with Syncytiotrophoblastic Giant Cells

Abstract

Almost all types of germ cell tumors are known to occur in the third ventricle-pineal region. In this paper we report the case of a 16—year-old boy having a particular subtype of germinoma of the pineal body in which scattered syncytiotrophoblastic cells positive for human chorionic gonadotropin were found.

This tumor is considered the central nervous system counterpart of seminoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells and dysgerminoma with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells.

Key Words:

• syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells
• germinoma
• pineal body