Growing teratoma syndrome

Last revised by Owen Kang on 25 Jun 2016

Growing teratoma syndrome is a rare complication after treatment for metastatic (or in the case of intracranial disease, primary) non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT).

It was first described in the pediatric population with treated germ cell neoplasms, and represents enlarging masses at the site of previous tumor deposits. It is often cystic, and occurs after complete serological response to multimodality therapy.

The enlarging tumor consists of mature tissues from all three layers (endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm) thus representing a mature teratoma, that presumably arises from differentiated cells that are refractory to chemotherapy or radiation.

The incidence systemically is estimated between 1.9 and 7.6% and is most often seen in the retroperitoneum in patients with metastatic testicular non-seminomatous germ cell tumors.

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