Teratoma

A teratoma is a rare type of tumor that can contain fully developed tissues and organs, including hair, teeth, muscle, and bone. Teratomas are most common in the tailbone, ovaries, and testicles, but can occur elsewhere in the body. Teratomas can appear in newborns, children, or adults. They’re more common in females. Teratomas are usually benign in newborns, but may still require surgical removal. Teratomas are generally described as either mature or immature. • Mature teratomas are usually benign (not cancerous). But they may grow back after being surgically removed. • Immature teratomas are more likely to develop into a malignant cancer. Mature teratomas are further classified as: • cystic: enclosed in its own fluid-containing sac • solid: made up of tissue, but not self-enclosed • mixed: containing both solid and cystic parts Mature cystic teratomas are also called Teratomas may have no symptoms at first. When symptoms develop, they can be different depending on where the teratoma is located. The most common locations for teratomas are the tailbone (coccyx), ovaries, and testicles. Signs and symptoms common to many teratomas include: • pain • swelling and bleeding • mildly elevated levels of alpha-feroprotein (AFP), a marker for tumors • mildly elevated levels of the hormone beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (BhCG) Here are some symptoms specific to the type of teratoma: Sacrococcygeal (tailbone) teratoma A sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is one that develops in the cocc...

A teratoma is a rare type of germ cell tumor (GCT) containing different types of tissue, such as hair, bone, teeth, and muscle. They most commonly affect the ovaries, testicles, and tailbone but can occur elsewhere in the body. Some are cancerous. Teratomas are a type of Teratomas can appear in newborns, children, or adults. They may be benign, meaning noncancerous, or malignant. The treatment plan for a teratoma will typically involve surgery. In this article, we discuss teratomas in more detail, including the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this type of tumor. The symptoms of a teratoma can vary depending on the size and location of the tumor. In some cases, people with teratomas may not have any symptoms at all and only notice a mass when it becomes large enough to be noticeable. Possible symptoms • a mass, swelling, or lump that a person can feel or see • • leg weakness • abdominal pain • difficulty breathing If a teratoma is hormone-secreting, it may cause noticeable symptoms in prepubescent children and can result in At present, the exact cause of teratomas is During development, some of these cells may not differentiate, instead retaining the ability to turn into other cell types. This is why teratomas may feature many different body parts, such as bone, hair, or teeth, which are foreign to the location of the tumor. Risk factors may also vary depending on the type of teratoma. For example, research suggests that risk factors for testicular teratomas •...

At our National Cancer Information Center trained Cancer Information Specialists can answer questions 24 hours a day, every day of the year to empower you with accurate, up-to-date information to help you make educated health decisions. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with valuable services and resources. Or ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include: • Referrals to patient-related programs or resources • Donations, website, or event-related assistance • Tobacco-related topics • Volunteer opportunities • Cancer Information For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor. Treating benign germ cell tumors Women with benign (non-cancerous) germ cell tumors such as mature teratomas (dermoid cysts) are cured by removing the part of the ovary that has the tumor (ovarian cystectomy) or by removing the entire ovary. Treating malignant germ cell tumors As with epithelial ovarian cancers, it is a good idea to consult with a gynecologic oncologist for treating malignant germ cell tumors, especially because these are so uncommon. About 2-3% of all ovarian cancers are germ cell tumors. For most types and stages of germ cell cancers Most types and stages of germ cell cancers of the ovary are treated the same way, with Surgery: In general, all women with malignant germ cell tumors will have the same staging surgery that is done for epithelial ovarian cancer. For...

Ovarian teratomas are germ cell tumors that develop on the ovaries. The majority are noncancerous and do not cause symptoms. However, some people may experience pain, urinary issues, and abdominal lumps. Teratomas are a type of tumor or mass of cells that develop from one or more layers of germ cells, which are the cells that help form the This article reviews ovarian teratomas, their types, symptoms, causes, and more. Share on Pinterest Carol Yepes/Getty Images Ovarian teratomas are a type of germ cell tumor that contains distinct tissue from three germ cell layers, including the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This means that mature teratoma cells • hair • muscle • teeth • bone • thyroid tissue • fat There are several different types of ovarian teratomas. Mature cystic teratomas, also known as dermoid cysts, are the most common type of ovarian tumor. Most mature cystic teratomas are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, but in about 1–2% of cases, they can become cancerous. Experts classify ovarian teratomas into three broad categories: • Mature cystic teratomas: These account for around • Immature teratomas: These contain several different types of cells, many of which may look abnormal under a microscope. They are • Monodermal teratomas: These include: • struma ovarii, which contains thyroid tissue • carcinoid tumors, which contain tissue that helps send messages throughout the body • neural tumors, which grow on nerve tissue In about • pain, which occurs in • noti...

Verywell / Jessica Olah Teratomas can contain many types of tissue because they are produced by cells that can form all three germ layers of an embryo (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm). These tumors contain fully formed tissues and organs such as skin, teeth, muscle, bone, and hair from two or three germ layers. High Levels of Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (B-HCG) B-HCG is produced by the placenta. It is routinely checked during pregnancy. Elevated blood levels can indicate germ cell tumors and other types of cancers. B-HCG rarely is elevated due to a teratoma but can be elevated if there is a germ cell tumor that includes a portion of teratoma. Causes During fetal development, cells start to differentiate and migrate to different areas of the body. Teratomas are caused by a problem with the cell differentiation process. That’s why a teratoma contains tissues that belong in other parts of the body. Why this problem arises is not completely known or understood. If a teratoma is diagnosed during pregnancy, you’ll have sonograms often to assess the growth and size of the teratoma and its impact on your baby’s health. In some instances, fetal surgery may be done to drain fluid from the teratoma, but usually the teratoma will be surgically removed immediately after birth. If you have an immature ovarian teratoma, your prognosis will be affected by the stage of your cancer. The five-year survival rate for a stage 1 tumor (least advanced) is 98.3%. The five-year survival rat...

Teratomas are rare tumors that may hold different types of tissue such as bone, teeth, muscle, and hair. They’re mostly found in the ovaries, testicles, and tailbone, but also sometimes grow in the nervous system and abdomen. ‌ A teratoma may be Types of Teratoma Not all types of teratoma are cancerous. Immature teratomas are more likely to become cancerous. Mature teratomas tend to be benign, or non-cancerous. Mature teratomas can present in different ways. They may be: • Solid – made of tissue, but not enclosed. • Cystic – contained by a sac. • Mixed – having both cystic and solid parts. Mature teratomas are often found in ‌ There’s a rare type of teratoma known as fetus in fetu, or fetus within a fetus. This type of teratoma looks like a small fetus without an amniotic sac or placenta, and it occurs in about 1 in 500,000 people. It’s been theorized that fetus in fetu teratomas are the remains of a twin that was unable to develop and was enveloped by the surviving sibling. Over 90% of fetus in fetu are found before a child is 18 months of age. What Causes Teratoma? Teratomas happen when complications arise during your cells’ differentiation process. In particular, they develop in your body’s As a baby develops, their germ cells start moving to various places in the body to become differentiated cells, such as eggs in the ovaries and sperm in the testicles. This is why teratomas are usually found in ovaries or testicles and contain the following: • Hair • Teeth • Wax • Oi...

Overview Germ cell tumors are growths of cells that form from reproductive cells. The tumors may be cancerous or not cancerous. Most germ cell tumors occur in the testicles or the ovaries. Some germ cell tumors occur in other areas of the body, such as the abdomen, brain and chest, though it's not clear why. Germ cell tumors that occur in places other than the testicles and ovaries (extragonadal germ cell tumors) are very rare. • National Cancer Institute. Childhood central nervous system germ cell tumors treatment (PDQ). https://www.cancer.gov/types/brain/patient/child-cns-germ-cell-treatment-pdq. Accessed June 2, 2021. • National Cancer Institute. Childhood extracranial germ cell tumors treatment (PDQ). https://www.cancer.gov/types/extracranial-germ-cell/patient/germ-cell-treatment-pdq. Accessed June 2, 2021. • National Cancer Institute. Extragonadal germ cell tumors treatment (PDQ). https://www.cancer.gov/types/extragonadal-germ-cell/patient/extragonadal-treatment-pdq. Accessed June 2, 2021. • Cancer.Net. Germ cell tumor — Childhood. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/germ-cell-tumor-childhood/view-all. Accessed June 11, 2021.

Contents • 1 Symptoms • 2 Types • 2.1 Mature teratoma • 2.2 Immature teratoma • 2.3 Gliomatosis peritoneii • 2.4 Dermoid cyst • 2.5 Fetus in fetu and fetiform teratoma • 2.6 Struma ovarii • 2.7 Epignathus • 3 Signs and symptoms • 3.1 Complications • 4 Pathophysiology • 4.1 Hypotheses of origin • 5 Diagnosis • 5.1 Classification • 5.1.1 Malignant transformation • 5.1.2 Extraspinal ependymoma • 6 Treatment • 6.1 Surgery • 6.2 Chemotherapy • 6.3 Follow-up • 7 Epidemiology • 8 Other animals • 9 Use in stem cell research • 10 References • 11 External links A mature teratoma is a grade 0 teratoma. They are highly variable in form and histology, and may be solid, cystic, or a combination of the two. A mature teratoma often contains several different types of tissue such as Immature teratoma Immature teratoma is the malignant counterpart of the mature teratoma and contains immature tissues which typically show Gliomatosis peritoneii Gliomatosis peritoneii, which presents as a deposition of mature glial cells in the peritoneum, is almost exclusively seen in conjunction with cases of ovarian teratoma. Through genetic studies of exome sequence, it was found that gliomatosis is genetically identical to the parent ovarian tumor and developed from cells that disseminate from the ovarian teratoma. Dermoid cyst A [ citation needed] Fetus in fetu and fetiform teratoma in fetu and fetiform teratoma are rare forms of mature teratomas that include one or more components resembling a malformed...

A teratoma is a rare type of germ cell tumor that may contain immature or fully formed tissue, including teeth, hair, bone and muscle. Teratomas may be cancerous or noncancerous, and they can affect people of all ages. Treatment involves surgical removal. Cancerous teratomas may require chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other cancer treatments. Overview What is a teratoma? A teratoma is a type of germ cell tumor (a tumor that starts in your reproductive cells). Teratomas can contain many different types of tissue, including bone, muscle, teeth and hair. They may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Where can teratomas be found? Teratomas most commonly form in the ovaries, testes or tailbone (coccyx) — but they can occur anywhere in the body. Who do teratomas affect? Teratomas can affect people of all ages. Some teratomas form during development in the uterus. How common are teratomas? Teratomas are considered rare overall. The frequency at which they occur varies depending on where the tumor is found: • Sacrococcygeal teratomas form in your tailbone. They’re the most common tumor in newborn babies, occurring in 1 out of every 20,000 to 40,000 births. They also occur more frequently in people assigned female at birth (AFAB) than in people assigned male at birth (AMAB). • Ovarian teratomas form in your ovaries. They are the most common • Testicular teratomas form in your testes. They are the second most common germ cell tumor affecting people AMAB between the ...