Germ cell tumors are cancers that arise from the reproductive cells of the testis or ovaries. Sometimes, the germ cells may arise in the mediastinum, chiefly in young males. Of these, nearly 70% are non-seminomas and the rest are seminomas. Non-seminomas include the following:
Embryonal carcinomas
Yolk sac tumors
Teratomas
Choriocarcinomas
The only well-known risk factor for extragonadal germ cell tumors is Klinefelter syndrome. In the majority of patients with extragonadal tumors, there is no evidence of a primary malignancy in the scrotum. In most patients, the mediastinal non-seminomas do not produce symptoms until they get large and occupy space.
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