Gebrehiwot Mihret, Mammo Tihitena Negussie, Negussie Michael A, Arega Gashaw
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Discov Oncol. 2025 Aug 12;16(1):1535. doi: 10.1007/s12672-025-03096-9.
Pediatric germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare, heterogeneous neoplasms with peak incidence in children under 4 years of age and during adolescence. The clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of GCTs are not well-studied in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological patterns and treatment outcomes of pediatric GCT patients treated at the largest tertiary referral hospital in Ethiopia.
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia, on pediatric GCT patients treated between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2023. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimate was employed to evaluate Overall Survival (OS) and Event-Free Survival (EFS). The log-rank test was used to compare Kaplan-Meier curves, P < 0.05 was considered to indicate a statistically significance.
A total of 91 patients were included in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 4 years, with a predominance of females. Children under 5 years of age constituted 61.6% (n = 56) of the cases. Sacrococcygeal swelling was the most common presenting symptom, accounting for 38.2% (n = 34), followed by abdominal mass accounted for 36%. Most patients (93.4%, n = 85) had extra-cranial GCTs, with mature teratoma being the most prevalent histological subtype (52.6%). Approximately 42.5% of patients received a combination of chemotherapy and local control measures, primarily surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the 1-year and 5-year OS rates were 92.7% and 85%, respectively, while the 1-year and 5-year EFS rates were 95% and 84%, respectively.
This study demonstrated that the median age at diagnosis for pediatric GCTs was 4 years, with a female predominance. Mature teratoma was the most frequent histological subtype. The observed 1-year and 5-year OS rates were comparable to other studies conducted in similar setting in low- and middle-income countries.
儿童生殖细胞肿瘤（GCTs）是罕见的异质性肿瘤，在4岁以下儿童和青少年中发病率最高。在发展中国家，GCTs的临床表现和治疗结果尚未得到充分研究。本研究旨在评估在埃塞俄比亚最大的三级转诊医院接受治疗的儿童GCT患者的临床病理模式和治疗结果。
在埃塞俄比亚的提库尔·安贝萨专科医院对2013年1月1日至2023年12月31日期间接受治疗的儿童GCT患者进行了一项回顾性横断面研究。使用SPSS 25版收集和分析数据。采用Kaplan-Meier生存估计法评估总生存期（OS）和无事件生存期（EFS）。使用对数秩检验比较Kaplan-Meier曲线，P < 0.05被认为具有统计学意义。
共有91名患者纳入研究。诊断时的中位年龄为4岁，女性居多。5岁以下儿童占病例的61.6%（n = 56）。骶尾部肿胀是最常见的症状，占38.2%（n = 34），其次是腹部肿块，占36%。大多数患者（93.4%，n = 85）患有颅外GCTs，成熟畸胎瘤是最常见的组织学亚型（52.6%）。约42.5%的患者接受了化疗和局部控制措施的联合治疗，主要是手术。Kaplan-Meier生存分析显示，1年和5年的OS率分别为92.7%和85%，而1年和5年的EFS率分别为95%和84%。
本研究表明，儿童GCTs的诊断中位年龄为4岁，女性居多。成熟畸胎瘤是最常见的组织学亚型。观察到的1年和5年OS率与在低收入和中等收入国家类似环境中进行的其他研究相当。
