Intracranial germinoma: a rare but important differential diagnosis in children with growth retardation.

AIM: Intracranial germinoma is a rare malignant tumour in childhood with an excellent prognosis under adequate therapy. Finding the right diagnosis at an early stage is difficult because of the slow-growing tumour and the resulting lack of clinical symptoms.
METHODS: Our patients with histologically secured germinoma were retrospectively assessed concerning growth retardation, pituitary hormone status, magnetic resonance imaging scan results and clinical symptoms to find out whether there is a leading parameter.
RESULTS: In all our patients, the leading symptom was growth retardation of at least 2 y before being diagnosed.
CONCLUSION: Growth retardation seems to be a very early sign of germinoma in the suprasellar region. Therefore, early neuroradiological imaging combined with pituitary hormone status should be considered in every paediatric patient with a history of secondary growth retardation.