What tests should be done for teratoma

What tests should be done for teratoma? The conventional diagnostic sequence of teratoma is as follows: Most are exophytic or have obvious masses that can be palpated, and early diagnosis can often be made based on clinical manifestations. A careful abdominal physical examination and pulmonary teratoma angiography are performed to determine whether there is a teratoma. What tests should be done, so medical scientists have given it such a vivid name.

Rectal examination is very necessary for the examination of abdominal, pelvic and occult sacrococcygeal teratomas. X-ray films of the tumor site can reveal abnormal calcifications of bones and teeth in the tumor to confirm the teratoma, which is mostly mature teratoma. Gastrointestinal barium meal, barium enema and intravenous pyelography can understand the compression and displacement of the gastrointestinal tract or organs such as kidneys, ureters and bladder in the corresponding parts. CT and MRI examinations should be performed for teratomas that grow rapidly and have a wide range of infiltration to clarify the range of tumor infiltration and its adjacent relationship with important blood vessels and spinal nerves.

If a malignant teratoma is considered, the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels should be tested for diagnosis and prognosis. 92% of malignant teratomas have elevated alpha-fetoprotein, while 4% of benign teratomas have abnormal AFP. It was found that patients with elevated AFP in benign teratomas had a significantly increased recurrence rate after surgery.

Spine X-rays show a large or obvious widening of the intervertebral cavity, narrow pedicles at the site of the lesion, widened interpedicular distance, concavity of the posterior edge of the vertebral body, and in some cases, manifestations of spina bifida.

CT and MRI have obvious advantages in diagnosing teratomas, and both can better show the heterogeneity of tumors. On MRI images, teratomas appear as mixed signals, often with intact cyst walls, rich in fat signals, with or without intratumoral enhancement nodules, and usually, in addition to the tumor, are often accompanied by spina bifida or vertebral dysplasia.

The recurrence rate of teratoma is relatively high. Although chemotherapy has a good effect in the short term, it will bring side effects such as gastrointestinal irritation, bone marrow suppression, heart, liver, and kidney damage to patients. Traditional Chinese medicine has the function of strengthening the body and improving immunity. It can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and reduce the toxicity and increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. At the same time, it can also reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapy. Therefore, the combination of Chinese and Western medicine is an important way to improve the cure rate of tumors.