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Teratoma

A teratoma is a type of tumor that derives from pluripotent germ cells. The word comes from a Greek term meaning roughly "monster tumor". Teratomas (more correctly teratomata) usually start from cells in the testes in men, the ovaries in women and in the sacrum in children. Teratomata involve cells from all three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. They can be benign or malignant. more...

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Teratomata often contain well-differentiated cells which can result in tissues growing in a teratoma which are quite different from the surrounding tissue—ovarian teratomata have been known to grow hair and teeth. Such a benign cystic teratoma is often termed a dermoid cyst, nowadays more correctly termed a mature teratoma. Some teratomata may contain a mixture of well-differentiated, mature tissues as: respiratory epithelium, hair follicle, fat tissue or mature nervous tissue. Immature teratomata of the ovary have a malignant potential in line with the amount of neuroblastic tissue present.

Testicular teratomata are generally less well-differentiated, and have a worse prognosis (chances of recovery are not as high).

Some teratomata secrete the "pregnancy hormone" human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which can be used in clinical practice to follow-up successful treatment or relapse in patients with a known HCG-secreting teratoma. It is not recommended as a diagnostic marker.

Some teratomata secrete thyroxine, in some cases to such a degree that it can lead to clinical hyperthyroidism in the patient.

Struma ovarii

Struma ovarii (literally: goiter of the ovary) is a rare specialized type of teratoma present in the ovary that contains benign thyroid tissue. To be classified as a struma ovarii, thyroid tissue must be the predominant histology. Malignant transformation of struma ovarii is rare, occurring in only 5% of cases.

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100% mortality when tumor, hydrops present - Sacrococcygeal Teratoma
From OB/GYN News, 3/15/02 by Nancy Walsh

NEW ORLEANS -- The presence of hydrops is a poor prognostic sign in fetuses diagnosed antenatally with sacrococcygeal teratoma.

A retrospective evaluation of 13 cases of this tumor detected ultrasonographically between weeks 18 and 29 of gestation found 100% mortality when hydrops was present, Dr. K. Mujaibel reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Another poor prognostic sign was rapid tumor growth, which was significantly associated with the development of cardiomegaly and polyhydramnios, according to Dr. Mujaibel of the department of maternal-fetal medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

In this series, polyhydramnios was seen in 46% and was associated with "a substantial risk" of preterm labor (100%) and overall prenatal death (83%).

Fetuses that had tumors exceeding 5 cm at the time of diagnosis also were at increased risk for high output heart failure and death. Postulated mechanisms of perinatal death include high output cardiac failure, anemia due to hemorrhage or hemolysis within the tumor, or tumor rupture, Dr. Mujaibel reported in a poster session at the meeting, which was cosponsored by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

COPYRIGHT 2002 International Medical News Group
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

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