Pineal gland germinoma and pituitary insufficiency presenting with weight loss: Rare Case

Intracranial germinomas are rare cancers that primarily affect pediatric age group patients making them rarer still in adults.
This report presents a case of a primary intracranial germinoma arising in the pineal region of a 24 year old male. The patient presented with a history of weight loss and progressive vision loss secondary to obstructive hydrocephalus. MRI demonstrated a large enhancing mass lesion in the region of the pineal gland with radiological features suggestive of a germinoma.
Immunohistochemical stains confirmed the histological diagnosis, with positive staining for C-Kit, OCT4 and PLAP.
In summary, this case report highlights that the diagnosis of pineal gland germinoma present in a young male is made by immunohistochemistry and detailed physical examination.