Advancing clinical and translational research in germ cell tumours (GCT): recommendations from the Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium

Abstract

Germ cell tumours (GCTs) are a heterogeneous group of rare neoplasms that present in different anatomical sites and across a wide spectrum of patient ages from birth through to adulthood. Once these strata are applied, cohort numbers become modest, hindering inferences regarding management and therapeutic advances. Moreover, patients with GCTs are treated by different medical professionals including paediatric oncologists, neuro-oncologists, medical oncologists, neurosurgeons, gynaecological oncologists, surgeons, and urologists. Silos of care have thus formed, further hampering knowledge dissemination between specialists. Dedicated biobank specimen collection is therefore critical to foster continuous growth in our understanding of similarities and differences by age, gender, and site, particularly for rare cancers such as GCTs. Here, the Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium provides a framework to create a sustainable, global research infrastructure that facilitates acquisition of tissue and liquid biopsies together with matched clinical data sets that reflect the diversity of GCTs. Such an effort would create an invaluable repository of clinical and biological data which can underpin international collaborations that span professional boundaries, translate into clinical practice, and ultimately impact patient outcomes.

Targeting oncogenic microRNAs from the miR-371~373 and miR-302/367 clusters in malignant germ cell tumours causes growth inhibition through cell cycle disruption

“…Consequently, there remains a major need for an improved understanding of germ cell biology and the identification of new targets for potential therapeutic intervention. Such an approach will facilitate the development of novel agents that may improve survival in those with poor-risk disease and reduce late-effects in those with good-risk disease [ 12 ], across the diverse clinical GCT spectrum [ 13 ].…”

Consensus and controversy in the management of paediatric and adult patients with ovarian immature teratoma: the Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium perspective

“…Accordingly, further molecular study of ovarian IT is required to improve our understanding of this rare disease and facilitate clinical management, 49 and to that end, a recent article has highlighted such areas of both clinical and transational importance. 87 …”

Children's Oncology Group's 2023 blueprint for research: Germ cell tumors

“…The creation of a global biobank is also of interest to similarly allow for effective basic science research on pediatric and AYA GCTs. 66 Age at diagnosis and race/ethnicity impact outcomes. AYAs have significantly decreased EFS compared to children and older adults.…”

“…Incorporation of GCT data into the Pediatric Cancer Data Commons, now called Data for the Common Good, is already underway and will allow for streamlined data analyses. The creation of a global biobank is also of interest to similarly allow for effective basic science research on pediatric and AYA GCTs 66 …”