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The incidences of malignant gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumors in males and females: a population-based study covering over 40 years in Finland

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Abstract

Purpose

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) comprise a heterogeneous group of tumors derived from primordial germ cells. The incidence of malignant testicular GCTs has increased in recent decades, but little is known about possible changes in malignant female GCTs. Population-based data covering all malignant GCTs in both sexes remain limited.

Methods

All cases of malignant GCTs in 1969–2008 were collected from the Finnish Cancer Registry and their age-adjusted annual incidences calculated.

Results

The overall incidence of malignant GCTs was 2.56 per 100,000 person-years in males and 0.34 per 100,000 in females. The incidence of gonadal GCTs increased from 2.27 to 8.36 per 100,000 in males between 15 and 44 years of age. Moreover, the incidence of all histological subtypes of gonadal GCTs increased in males. In females, the only increase was seen in the incidence of ovarian non-dysgerminoma (from 0.07 to 0.29/100,000). The incidence of extragonadal GCTs did not change during the study period, being 0.18 and 0.10 per 100,000 in males and females, respectively.

Conclusions

The incidence of gonadal GCTs in males increased significantly during the 40-year study period, whereas in females, no such change was observed. There were significant gender differences regarding the distribution of histological subtypes and patients’ ages. However, the incidence of extragonadal GCTs remained low in both sexes. The differences in the incidences of gonadal GCTs derived from the same population suggest that the risk factors of these malignancies differ between the two sexes.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Dr. Risto Sankila, M.D., Ph.D., from the Finnish Cancer Registry for his highly professional collaboration regarding cancer statistics. Financial support from the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Nona and Kullervo Väre Foundation, Helsinki University Central Hospital Research Funds, the Pediatric Graduate School, University of Helsinki, and the National Graduate School of Clinical Investigation is gratefully acknowledged.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Paediatric Research Centre, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Medical School, 33014, Tampere, Finland

    Satu-Liisa Pauniaho & Kim Vettenranta

  2. Department of Surgery, Central Hospital of Seinäjoki, Hanneksenrinne 7, 60220, Seinäjoki, Finland

    Satu-Liisa Pauniaho

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, PO Box 140, 00029, Helsinki, Finland

    Jonna Salonen & Oskari Heikinheimo

  4. School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere and Science Center, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, 33521, Tampere, Finland

    Mika Helminen

  5. Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital, PO Box 22, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Markku Heikinheimo

  6. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, St Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Markku Heikinheimo

Authors
  1. Satu-Liisa Pauniaho
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  2. Jonna Salonen
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  3. Mika Helminen
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  4. Kim Vettenranta
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  5. Markku Heikinheimo
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  6. Oskari Heikinheimo
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Correspondence to Markku Heikinheimo.

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Pauniaho, SL., Salonen, J., Helminen, M. et al. The incidences of malignant gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumors in males and females: a population-based study covering over 40 years in Finland. Cancer Causes Control 23, 1921–1927 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-0069-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-0069-9

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