Germ cell tumours most commonly arise in which organs?

Germ cell tumours most commonly arise in which organs?

• A. Liver
• B. Reproductive organs such as testes and ovaries
• C. Brain
• D. Lungs

Answer: (B)

Germ cell tumours arise from germ cells, which normally reside in the gonads. Because of this origin, they most commonly start in the reproductive organs—testes in males and ovaries in females. There are rarer instances where germ cell tumours form along midline regions outside the gonads (such as the mediastinum, retroperitoneum, sacrococcygeal area, or pineal region in the brain), but these extragonadal cases are much less common than gonadal tumours. Liver, brain, and lungs are more typical sites for metastasis from germ cell tumours or for primary tumours of those organs, rather than the usual primary site.

Germ cell tumours arise from germ cells, which normally reside in the gonads. Because of this origin, they most commonly start in the reproductive organs—testes in males and ovaries in females. There are rarer instances where germ cell tumours form along midline regions outside the gonads (such as the mediastinum, retroperitoneum, sacrococcygeal area, or pineal region in the brain), but these extragonadal cases are much less common than gonadal tumours. Liver, brain, and lungs are more typical sites for metastasis from germ cell tumours or for primary tumours of those organs, rather than the usual primary site.