teratoma

Definition: Teratomas are neoplasms comprised of mixed elements derived from the three germ cell layers.

Teratoma is a complex tumor composed of a collection of heterogeneous cells and/or organoid structures reminiscent of normal derivatives of the germ cell.

It occurs in both male and female genital systems and other organs along the midline of the body, with similar morphology and classification.

Ovarian teratomas constitute 15%-20% of all ovarian tumors.

Benign mature teratoma has mature tissue deriving from two or more germ cell layers, while immature malignant teratoma has both mature and immature elements, especially immature neuroepithelial elements. Furthermore, the third variant, the monodermal teratoma, is composed of only one specialized tissue, such as thyroid tissue.

Images

 Gastric teratoma in a 1yo male

• https://twitter.com/DraEosina/status/817663085376901121

A teratoma is generally defined as a tumor arising from pluripotent cells, and it is precisely the heterogeneity of tissues present in such a tumor that best characterizes it; it is also commonly accepted that a teratoma must contain derivatives of more than one blastodermic layer, according
to traditional concepts of embryonic ontogenesis.

Microscopical types

 mature teratoma

• ovarian dermoid cysts
   immature teratoma

According to age

 fetal teratoma
 neonatal teratoma

According to the localization

  gonadal teratoma

• ovarian teratoma
• testicular teratoma

 extragonadal teratoma

• cervical teratoma
• mediastinal teratoma
• pericardial teratoma
• retroperitoneal teratoma
• sacrococcygeal teratoma
• gastric teratoma
• placental teratoma

Variants

• with intratumal Wilms tumor (15105660)
• with intratumal embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (15105660)

Videos

 mature ovarian teratoma (by Washington Deceit)

@<@object width="425" height="350">@<@param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nj2WJ_Ryi50">@<@/param>@<@param name="wmode" value="transparent">@<@/param>@<@embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nj2WJ_Ryi50" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350">@<@/embed>@<@/object>

See also

 Tumors

• germ cell tumors (GCTs )
  • teratoma