[The treatment of intracranial germinomas]

31 patients with intracranial germinomas received radiotherapy. Of thom, 15 were operated on directly and 7 by CSF shunt, 6 by external ventricular drainage. After radiotherapy, symptoms were improved in 93.5% of the patients. 16 patients were followed up for 2 to 14 years, their results were satisfactory. We consider that initial treatment of germinoma mainly by radiotherapy may be more appropriate, as the tumors highly radiosensitive. If hydrocephalus developed, combined external ventricular drainage with radiotherapy should be performed, and the shunting operation may be avoided because of potential peritoneal seeding of germinomas. For recurrent germinoma, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy may be useful.