What are the typical symptoms of teratoma

Teratomas originate from potentially multifunctional primitive embryonic cells and are mostly benign, but the tendency to be malignant increases with age. The site of occurrence is related to the midline anterior axis or midline paracentral area of ​​the embryonic body cavity, and is often seen in the sacral and coccygeal regions, mediastinum, retroperitoneum, and gonadal regions. They are more common in newborns and infants, and are more common in women. It is generally believed that teratomas are mostly caused by the early stage of individual development, when some multipotent primitive cells are separated and proliferate in the mediastinum to develop into tumors.

Teratomas may present with various clinical symptoms and manifestations due to their different locations, multiple complications, and obvious malignant tendencies:

① Painless mass This is the most common symptom of teratoma. Most of them are round cystic, with clear boundaries, uneven hardness and softness, and even bony nodules can be palpated. Among them, exophytic tumors are common in the midline areas such as the sacrum, occipital, forehead, and nose. Sacrococcygeal teratomas can often be divided into three clinical types according to their location: overt, occult, and mixed. ② Compression and cavity obstruction symptoms Mediastinal teratomas can often compress the respiratory tract and cause choking, dyspnea, and distended neck veins; retroperitoneal teratomas often have abdominal pain and can cause intestinal obstruction. Pelvic and sacrococcygeal occult teratomas are often diagnosed due to constipation, difficulty defecating, and urinary retention.

③ Acute symptoms of abnormal tumor changes: Ovarian and testicular teratomas may cause ovarian or testicular torsion and necrosis, manifested by severe pain and corresponding local symptoms; when secondary infection and intracystic bleeding occur in teratomas, the tumor may often increase rapidly, with obvious local tenderness, and accompanied by fever, anemia, shock and other systemic infection or blood loss symptoms; tumors in the retroperitoneum, ovaries, pelvis, sacrum and coccyx may also suddenly rupture and cause massive bleeding, hemoperitoneum, shock and other dangerous manifestations.

④ Symptoms of tumor malignant transformation When malignant teratomas and benign teratomas transform, they often show rapid tumor growth, loss of original elasticity, and exophytic tumors with superficial venous distension and congestion, local skin infiltration and increased skin temperature. Lymph node enlargement and lung and bone metastasis symptoms may occur through lymphatic and blood circulation, as well as systemic symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, and tumor fever.