Evolution of a primary intrasellar germinomatous teratoma into a choriocarcinoma. Case report.

A case of intrasellar teratoma with a germinal structure in a 10-year-old girl is described. A few months after intracranial surgery the tumor differentiated into a choriocarcinoma and finally spread to multiple cerebral, pulmonary, and renal metastases. In the course of choriocarcinomatous evolution, very high urinary levels of luteinizing gonadotropin (HCG) developed, but there was no clinical or anatomical evidence of precocious puberty.