Diagnosis and management of growing teratoma syndrome after ovarian immature teratoma: A single center experience

Growing teratoma syndrome: diagnostic challenges and outcomes

PURPOSE

The aim of this case report is to emphasize the significance of the growing teratoma syndrome. Growing teratoma syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed due to its low prevalence, with an estimated incidence of 19% among all immature ovarian teratomas and a lack of experience among healthcare professionals. It is characterized by the growth of benign tumoral tissue during or after chemotherapy for malignant germ cell tumors.

CASE REPORT

Our case is about a 46-year-old patient diagnosed with an immature teratoma who was treated unsuccessfully with surgery and chemotherapy. The patient was then referred to our hospital for a second opinion, where this unknown entity was diagnosed and underwent complete surgical debulking, including abdominal wall resection and subsequent repair.

CONCLUSION

Physicians need to be aware of rapidly growing masses during or after chemotherapy because early recognition of this syndrome is essential for the adequate treatment of our patients.

Laparoscopic-assisted Fertility-sparing Surgery for Growing Teratoma Syndrome of the Ovary: Experience from a Tertiary Center

STUDY OBJECTIVE

The main objective is to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic fertility-sparing surgery in women with growing teratoma syndrome.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Chinese tertiary university hospital.

PATIENTS

Patients with growing teratoma syndrome who underwent fertility-sparing surgery between January 2015 and August 2023.

INTERVENTIONS

Baseline characteristics and surgical outcomes were evaluated, including clinical information, surgical procedures, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, length of hospital stay, and follow-up information.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

Twenty-six patients with ovarian growing teratoma syndrome underwent fertility-sparing surgery: 12 had laparoscopic surgery and 14 underwent laparotomic surgery. In the laparoscopic group, the median age of the patients during initial management of immature teratoma or mixed malignant ovarian germ cell tumor was 14.0 years (interquartile range, 13.0-24.5 years). Eleven patients were nulliparous. The primary ovarian tumor was pure immature teratoma in 10 patients and mixed ovarian germ cell tumor in 2 patients. Complete laparoscopic tumor resection was achieved in 11 patients. Patients in the laparoscopic group had shorter median operative time (76.5 vs 180.0 minutes, p = .001), lower estimated blood loss (20.0 vs 400.0 mL, p <.001), and decreased postoperative hospital stay (2.0 vs 7.0 days, p <.001) compared with laparotomic surgery. There was no conversion to laparotomy and no perioperative complications. Histologic examination confirmed mature teratoma in all cases. During a median follow-up of 21.9 months (interquartile range, 7.6-44.9 months), 11 patients were alive without disease and 1 was alive with disease. One pregnancy was achieved postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic fertility-sparing surgery may represent a feasible option in well-selected patients with ovarian growing teratoma syndrome. Surgery should be performed in gynecologic oncology centers by experienced staff trained in endoscopic procedures. More research and long-time follow-up are needed to determine the oncologic outcomes and safety of laparoscopic surgery in this population.

Growing teratoma syndrome of the ovary: a case report and literature review

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is a rare condition that arises secondary to malignant germ cell tumors. It is characterized by an enlarging abdominal mass during or after chemotherapy, normal tumor markers, and histopathological indications of mature teratoma components. Awareness of GTS is limited, and it is often mistaken for disease progression or recurrence. This misdiagnosis can lead to delayed treatment and increased risk of complications. Therefore, early identification of GTS is crucial to avoid unnecessary systemic treatments and reduce financial burden. GTS is unresponsive to chemotherapy or radiotherapy and complete surgical resection is the sole therapeutic strategy. In this report, we present a case of GTS in a 20-year-old female following treatment for immature teratoma, alongside a review of the relevant literature aimed at enriching our insight into the clinical manifestations of GTS.

Malignant ovarian and testicular germ cell tumors: Common characteristics but different prognoses

Both ovarian and testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) arise from the primordial germ cell and share many similarities. Both malignancies affect mainly young patients, show remarkable responsiveness to cisplatin-based therapy, and have an excellent prognosis, which also highlights the importance of minimizing long-term side effects. However, certain differences can be noted: The spreading of the disease differs, and the staging system and treatment recommendations are dissimilar. Moreover, the prognosis for ovarian GCTs is significantly inferior to that for testicular cancer, as exemplified in this review comparing the survival in Swedish patients diagnosed with testicular (1995-2022) and ovarian (1990-2018) GCTs. The 5-year overall survival in ovarian GCTs was 85.2%, versus 98.2% for testicular GCTs. How can this be explained? One reason may be the difference in knowledge, experience, and evidence because the incidence rate of testicular cancer is more than 15 times that of ovarian GCTs. Given the rarity of the disease in women and the lack of established guidelines, a comprehensive understanding of the disease and treatment decisions is challenging. The main objective of this review is to derive insights from testicular GCTs (seminoma and non-seminoma) by reviewing etiological, tumor biological, and clinical knowledge, and to thereafter suggest actions for ovarian GCTs based on this. We hypothesize that by adopting specific treatment strategies from testicular GCTs-including de-escalating adjuvant chemotherapy for low-risk patients and implementing more standardized and intensive treatment protocols in cases of relapse-we can improve the prognosis and minimize long-term side effects in ovarian GCT patients.

A case series and literature review on 98 pediatric patients of germ cell tumor developing growing teratoma syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Malignant germ cell tumors (MGCTs) can develop either extracranially or intracranially. Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) may develop in these patients following chemotherapy. Reports on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of GTS in children with MGCTs are limited.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected the data, including the clinical characteristics and outcomes of five patients in our series and 93 pediatric patients selected through a literature review of MGCTs. This study aimed to analyze survival outcomes and risk factors for subsequent events in pediatric patients with MGCTs developing GTS.

RESULTS

The sex ratio was 1.09 (male/female). In total, 52 patients (53.1%) had intracranial MGCTs. Compared with patients with extracranial GCTs, those with intracranial GCTs were younger, predominantly boys, had shorter intervals between MGCT and GTS, and had GTS mostly occurring over the initial site (all p < 0.001). Ninety-five patients (96.9%) were alive. However, GTS recurrence (n = 14), GTS progression (n = 9), and MGCT recurrence (n = 19) caused a substantial decrease in event-free survival (EFS). Multivariate analyses showed that the only significant risk factors for these events were incomplete GTS resection and different locations of GCT and GTS. Patients without any risk had a 5-year EFS of 78.8% ± 7.8%, whereas those with either risk had 41.7% ± 10.2% (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

For patients with high-risk features, every effort should be made to closely monitor, completely remove, and pathologically prove any newly developed mass to guide relevant treatment. Further studies incorporating the risk factors into treatment strategies may be required to optimize adjuvant therapy.

Immature Teratoma: Diagnosis and Management-A Review of the Literature

An immature teratoma is a germinal malignant tumor composed of three germ cell layers, occurring more frequently in young women. It is the second most frequent among the malignant germinal tumors after dysgerminoma, and it is the only neoplasm with germ cells that are histologically graded. Even if we do not have a consensus regarding its therapeutical management, it has a good prognosis, with an excellent overall survival rate and good fertility preservation. More studies are needed regarding the necessity of adjuvant chemotherapy in pediatric oncology, and because of chemotherapy's long-term adverse effects, surveillance or a targeted treatment is preferred, but the main therapy is fertility-sparing surgery. Special attention should be given to the genetic mapping of the histological pieces for patient risk stratification due to its value in prognosis and future treatment.

Successful resection of growing teratoma syndrome in the abdominal wall with reconstruction using tensor fascia lata muscle flap: A case report and literature review

While cancer cure is the primary goal, fertility preservation is also a cornerstone of the underlying principle of treatment for ovarian germ cell tumors. Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) presents with growth of mature teratomas during or after chemotherapy. We report a case of successful treatment of GTS in the anterior abdominal wall involving reconstruction. A 23-year-old woman with a suspected right ovarian mature teratoma with torsion underwent emergency laparoscopically assisted extracorporeal ovarian cystectomy. Histopathological findings revealed a grade 1 immature teratoma. After two months, postoperative α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels increased, and disseminated lesions developed not only in the pelvic cavity but also in the abdominal wound where the tumor had been extracted using an extracorporeal technique at the time of primary surgery. The patient underwent laparoscopic right salpingo-oophorectomy, excision of multiple peritoneal nodules, and biopsy of abdominal wall mass. The left rectus abdominis muscle tumor could not be removed. All of these nodules were diagnosed as metastatic immature teratomas. Although the patient received three cycles of chemotherapy, the residual tumor in the abdominal wall grew remarkably despite post-chemotherapy normalization of AFP levels. Both rectus abdominis muscles involving the residual tumors were removed and reconstructed using a left tensor fascia lata muscle flap. Histopathologically, the residual tumors were identified as mature teratomas with no immature elements, resulting in GTS. The patient got pregnant without the need of fertility treatment and gave birth uneventfully by cesarean section. Thus, reconstruction with a tensor fascia lata muscle flap facilitated complete removal of GTS while preserving fertility.

Growing teratoma syndrome: a surgical conundrum

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is a tumour growth, which contains mature teratomatous elements during or after chemotherapy for malignant germ cell tumours. Surgery is the only potential treatment option for GTS because these growing teratomas are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Extensive surgeries may be needed in GTS with multivisceral resections to achieve no residual disease status. This report presents a case of GTS treated with multiple surgical resections in a woman with malignant immature teratoma ovary in her early thirties; she is disease free after 1 year of treatment.

Growing Teratoma Syndrome with Synchronous Gliomatosis Peritonei during Chemotherapy in Ovarian Immature Teratoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Coexistent growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) and gliomatosis peritonei (GP) arising during chemotherapy of ovarian immature teratoma (IMT) is extremely rare and can be misdiagnosed as recurrent or progressive disease. We present a 33-year-old woman diagnosed with GTS with synchronous GP during chemotherapy of IMT. She underwent ovarian cystectomy due to ovarian immature teratoma and chemotherapy were administered. The α-fetoprotein (AFP) concentration decreased from 28.7 ng/mL to normal after the second cycle. Four days after the third cycle of chemotherapy, ultrasound and CT revealed an 8-cm mass with negative tumor markers in the pouch of Douglas. An exploratory laparotomy was conducted, and a smooth round cystic-solid 8-cm mass was noted in the pouch of Douglas. Extensive peritoneal seeding glial nodules were also observed on the surface of the uterus, peritoneum, and omentum. The patient underwent a partial omentectomy, intact resection of the tumor, and resection of most of the glial nodules. Postoperative pathology demonstrated a pure mature cystic teratoma component in the mass, as well as diffuse GP involving the uterine serosa, peritoneum, and omentum; this diagnosis of GTS with synchorous GP should be considered in IMT patients with mass newly identified during chemotherapy while tumor markers are normal after treatment.

Oncological and Reproductive Outcomes in Patients With Advanced-Stage Ovarian Immature Teratoma: Experience From a Tertiary Center

Objective

To evaluate the oncological and reproductive outcomes in patients with advanced-stage ovarian immature teratoma (IMT).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with advanced-stage IMT who were treated with surgery between January 1985 and December 2020. Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) was defined as preservation of the uterus and at least one adnexa. Oncological outcomes were compared between patients who underwent FSS and radical surgery. Patients who underwent FSS were also contacted to gather information about their menstrual history and reproductive outcomes.

Results

Forty-six patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of whom 38 underwent FSS and eight were treated with radical surgery. Fifteen patients suffered recurrence after a median follow-up time of 74.2 months (range: 4.1–434.1 months). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 69.1% and 89.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified suboptimal cytoreductive surgery as the only independent risk factor for recurrence. There was no significant difference in DFS or OS between patients with different surgical procedures. Ten of the 15 relapsed patients had optimal salvage surgery and all remained alive with no evidence disease. Among the 32 patients who underwent FSS, 29 resumed menstruation after surgery, and five of seven patients who designed pregnancy achieved a total of five successful pregnancies.

Conclusions

Ovarian IMT has a favorable prognosis, even when diagnosed at an advanced stage. FSS is feasible in patients with advanced-stage IMT who wish to preserve their fertility. Patients may benefit from optimal cytoreductive surgery during initial and salvage surgery.

Growing Teratoma Syndrome in the Setting of Sarcoidosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is rare and can mimic disease recurrence in patients with a history of immature teratoma. Benign hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy found on staging and surveillance computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) may lead to the presumption of metastatic malignancy. We report a case of a 38 year old with mixed mature and immature teratomas who developed new peritoneal masses after adjuvant chemotherapy despite a normalization of tumor markers. In addition to low FDG uptake observed in these peritoneal masses, a PET scan showed hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy and pulmonary and spleen lesions suggesting widespread metastases. Subsequent surgical resection confirmed a mixed pathology with GTS and sarcoidosis. We reviewed the current literature evidence of GTS and sarcoidosis as a benign cause of lymphadenopathy in cancer patients. We emphasize the importance of a tissue diagnosis before instituting therapy for presumed cancer recurrence to avoid potentially fatal diagnostic traps and management errors. A multiple disciplinary team approach is imperative in managing patients with suspected recurrent immature teratomas.

Ovarian growing teratoma syndrome with multiple metastases in the abdominal cavity and liver: A case report

BACKGROUND

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is an unusual presentation of an amazing transformation of teratoma from malignant to benign on pathology during or after systemic or intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The definitive pathogenesis is still not fully understood due to the lack of large-sample studies.

CASE SUMMARY

A 53-year-old woman underwent radical surgery and postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy due to immature teratoma of the right ovary at the age of 28. She remained well during a 25-year follow-up period after surgery. Multiple asymptomatic solid masses were found in the liver on ultrasonography a month ago. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed multiple masses in the abdominal cavity. The largest one was located in the posterior peritoneum next to the sixth segment of the right liver, about 7.9 cm × 7.5 cm in size. Three masses were present inside the liver, and one mass was in the right pelvic floor. Multiple lumps in the abdominal cavity were completely removed by surgery. During the operation, multiple space-occupying lesions were seen, ranging in size from 0.5 to 3 cm, and grayish white in color and hard in texture. Ovarian GTS was finally diagnosed based on postoperative pathology. After surgery, she recovered uneventfully. During a 3-year follow-up, the patient remained free of the disease without any recurrence on CT scan.

CONCLUSION

GTS is a rare phenomenon characterized by conversion of immature teratoma to mature one during or after chemotherapy and presents as growing and metastasizing masses. The pathogenesis of GTS is unclear, and the prognosis is good after surgical resection.

Growing Teratoma Syndrome and Gliomatosis Peritonei in a 15-Year-Old Girl With Immature Ovarian Teratoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Gliomatosis peritonei (GP) is a rare clinical condition characterized by presence of mature glial cells in the peritoneum. Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is described as an uncommon phenomenon that could be related to the incidence of non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. We report a case of a patient treated for immature ovarian teratoma, in whom both GP and GTS were observed, an association to date scarcely described in literature. A 15-year-old girl presented to the emergency department with severe pain in her lower abdomen and right lumbar region. Upon admission, concentration of α-fetoprotein (AFP) was 1500 ng/mL and β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) less than 2 ng/mL. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdominal cavity and pelvis confirmed the presence of an anomalous mass in the abdominal cavity and pelvis. Initial surgery was performed. Histopathology revealed the presence of immature teratoma with epithelial elements. Normalization of AFP was achieved within 8 weeks. Five months after surgery, a progressive increase in AFP was noted. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans of the pelvis minor showed local relapse. Evaluation of the remission after 2 blocks of preoperative chemotherapy revealed the presence of a large tumor mass in the pelvis minor, despite normalization of the AFP concentration. After opening the abdominal walls, numerous abnormal white nodules were observed in the peritoneum. Histopathology revealed the presence of mature glial tissue (gliomatosis peritonei). The remaining tumor mass was removed, and histopathology confirmed existence of mature teratoma (growing teratoma syndrome). Postoperative chemotherapy was continued. To date, the patient remains under clinical and laboratory remission. Concomitant incidence of GP and GTS, although rare, should always be taken into consideration in pediatric patients with diagnosis of either condition.

Laparoscopic and imaging findings of growing teratoma syndrome

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) occurs during post-treatment observation of ovarian malignant germ cell tumors. The characteristic features of this syndrome are normal tumor marker levels and evident tumoral mass or implants on imaging studies. We report a case of GTS in a 22-year-old woman with a malignant germ cell tumor. After staging surgery and chemotherapy, computed tomography showed peritoneal implants. Laparoscopy was planned to exclude malignant recurrence. During laparoscopy, smooth and pink-colored lesions were seen at the lateral pelvic wall. Histopathologic evaluation reported mature teratoma tissue with extensive mature glial components. GTS is not a malignant condition and the benefit of radical surgical intervention in cases without mass-related complication is not proven. GTS should be kept in mind after primary treatment of ovarian immature teratoma.

Laparoscopic and imaging findings of growing teratoma syndrome

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) occurs during post-treatment observation of ovarian malignant germ cell tumors. The characteristic features of this syndrome are normal tumor marker levels and evident tumoral mass or implants on imaging studies. We report a case of GTS in a 22-year-old woman with a malignant germ cell tumor. After staging surgery and chemotherapy, computed tomography showed peritoneal implants. Laparoscopy was planned to exclude malignant recurrence. During laparoscopy, smooth and pink-colored lesions were seen at the lateral pelvic wall. Histopathologic evaluation reported mature teratoma tissue with extensive mature glial components. GTS is not a malignant condition and the benefit of radical surgical intervention in cases without mass-related complication is not proven. GTS should be kept in mind after primary treatment of ovarian immature teratoma.

Oncological and Reproductive Outcomes of Cystectomy Compared with Unilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy as Fertility-Sparing Surgery in Patients with Apparent Early Stage Pure Immature Ovarian Teratomas

PURPOSE

To compare the oncological and reproductive outcomes of patients with apparent early stage pure ovarian immature teratomas (IMTs) treated with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO) or cystectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with apparent early stage pure ovarian IMTs who received fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) between 1984 and 2019. FSS was defined as preservation of the uterus and at least one adnexa. Recurrence rates were compared between patients receiving USO and cystectomy. Reproductive outcomes and menstrual histories were assessed by telephone interview.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients were included, of whom 83 underwent USO and 41 underwent cystectomy. After a median follow-up of 70.6 months (range: 6.2-410.6 months), eight patients suffered recurrences (5 in the USO group and 3 in the cystectomy group). The median times to recurrence were 5.0 and 5.1 months in the USO and cystectomy groups, respectively (P = 0.764). All patients with recurrence were successfully salvaged by surgery, except for one death. Univariate analysis showed no difference in disease-free survival and overall survival between the groups (P = 0.781, 0.155). Of the 111 patients contacted by telephone, 97 resumed menstruation following the surgery. Of the 31 patients desiring pregnancy, 26 achieved 28 pregnancies. USO (83.3%), like cystectomy (85.7%), resulted in excellent pregnancy rates.

CONCLUSIONS

A USO is the standard treatment for women with early stage pure IMTs who want to preserve fertility. However, a cystectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy may be a suitable fertility-sparing therapy when a cystectomy is the only surgical option.