ID #721 Gender Disparities in Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors: A Large-Scale Single-Center Cohort Study

Objective Despite the notably higher prevalence of intracranial germ cell tumors (iGCTs) in East Asia compared to Western countries, data on the Chinese population remain limited. This study aims to describe the clinical characteristics of iGCT patients, focusing on gender distribution, tumor location patterns, and the correlation between tumor site and clinical presentation. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with iGCTs diagnosed and treated at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between 2010 and 2025. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the incidence by gender, distribution of locations, and profiles of symptoms. Results The cohort included 137 patients with a ratio of males to females of 3.3:1. While the pineal region was the most common site overall (n = 48), tumor location showed significant disparities between genders: males primarily presented with tumors in the pineal region (43.8%), whereas females predominantly presented with tumors in the suprasellar or sellar region (50.0%). Clinical presentation demonstrated significant dependence on the site: tumors in the pineal region primarily presented with intracranial hypertension (52.1%, presenting as headache and vomiting), tumors in the suprasellar or sellar region were characterized by diabetes insipidus (48.7%, presenting as polydipsia and polyuria), and tumors in the basal ganglia or thalamus prominently featured motor dysfunction (55.0%, presenting as limb weakness). Conclusion This large single-center cohort study demonstrates the differences in gender distribution of iGCTs within the Chinese population. The distinct patterns of tumor location between genders, coupled with the strong correlations between site and symptoms, provide valuable clinical insights for early diagnosis and management.