Cervical Spinal Cord Metastasis of Germ Cell Tumor: A Rare Case Report

Malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs) spreading to the central nervous system (CNS) are uncommon, particularly when it comes to spinal cord metastases, which are extremely rare. This report details a case involving a metastatic cervical spinal cord GCT in a patient who had previously been diagnosed with a primary malignant GCT of the right testicle 3 years earlier. The patient experienced progressive cervical pain, and imaging revealed a mass in the cervical spinal cord area. Histopathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a malignant GCT, indicating it was a metastatic spread from the original testicular tumor. This case underscores the rarity of spinal cord metastases resulting from GCTs and emphasizes the necessity of considering metastatic disease in patients with a history of GCTs when they present with neurological symptoms (as often the earliest and most common presenting features).