Germ cell neoplasms and other malignancies of the mediastinum

Primary Seminoma Localized in Mediastinum: Case Report

BACKGROUND

Primary mediastinal seminomas most commonly occur in young men, and they are localised in the anterior mediastinum.

CASE PRESENTATION

The presented study is a case report of a 34-year-old man suffering from a mediastinal tumour in size of 19 cm, with pleural and pericardial effusion. The patient complains of cough, difficulty breathing, weight loss, and pronounced tiredness. CT of lungs and biopsy of the mediastinal change was performed. The histopathological analysis was in favour of a primary mediastinal seminoma. The patient initially had pronouncedly increased levels of LDH and β-hCG tumour marker. Pericardiocentesis was realised due to threatening tamponade of the heart, followed by 4 cycles of chemotherapy by BEP protocol. Following 2 cycles of chemotherapy, normalisation of LDH and β-HCG levels and significantly improved the clinical condition in the patient was found. Upon completion of 4 chemotherapy cycles by BEP protocol, the patient performed an FDG-PET scan with partial response and reduced dimension of a primary tumour in the mediastinum. Radiotherapy of residual tumour mass up to a total dose of 40Gy in 20 fractions was realised. Control FDG-PET scan had a finding of complete response to a tumour and absence of FDG uptake. The last follow-up examination was performed in October 2018, and the patient was disease-free for 54 months.

CONCLUSION

Multimodality treatment approach of chemotherapy followed by radiation consolidation ensured long-term survival in primary advanced mediastinal seminoma.

Primary seminoma arising in the middle mediastinum: A case report

Primary mediastinal seminoma often occurs in the anterior mediastinum of young males. It is unusual for the tumor to originate in the middle or posterior mediastinum, and such cases have rarely been reported in the English literature. The present study reports the case of a 52-year-old man with a 3.0-cm primary seminoma arising in the middle mediastinum. The patient presented with the symptoms of cough and chest tightness. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (¹⁸F-FDG-PET) scans revealed unique abnormal FDG uptake in the middle mediastinum. A mediastinoscopy was performed and integral excision was found to be difficult. A biopsy was performed and the histological examination revealed a primary seminoma. Following 4 cycles of a standard bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy regimen, and chest irradiation at a total dose of 40 Gy in 20 fractions, the tumor exhibited a partial response, decreasing in size, and FDG uptake was no longer observed on ¹⁸F-FDG-PET scan. The last follow-up date was April 2016 and the patient has remained disease-free for 20 months.