Teratomas are composed of at least two of the three germ cell layers which include ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The mediastinum is the second most common place to find teratomas with the gonads being the most common (Bremmer and Strobel 2016). Malignant component means the teratoma contains malignant tissue. There are three histological forms of malignant teratomas which include: immature teratoma, teratoma with other malignant germ cell component/s (malignant mixed germ cell tumors), and teratoma with somatic (carcinomatous) malignant transformation.
Mediastinal teratomas with malignant component are very rare and can be divided into two etiologic subgroups which consist of those induced by chemotherapy and/or radiation and the ones that occur spontaneously (Kim and Kim 2013). In postpuberty adults, almost all mediastinal teratomas with malignant component occur in males (Bremmer and Strobel 2016). Genetically, Klinefelter’s syndrome (XXY) has been shown to be associated with...
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References and Further Reading
Athanasiou, A., Vanel, D., El, M. O., Theodore, C., & Fizazi, K. (2009). Non-germ cell tumours arising in germ cell tumours (teratoma with malignant transformation) in men: CT and MR findings. European Journal of Radiology, 69(2), 230–235.
Bremmer, F., & Strobel, P. (2016 Sep). Mediastinal germ cell tumors. Der Pathologe, 37(5), 441–448.
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Khurana, A., Mehta, A., & Kamboj, M. (2011). Colonic-type adenocarcinoma (somatic-type malignancy) arising in a mediastinal mature cystic teratoma: A case report of a rare entity. Indian Journal of Pathology & Microbiology, 54, 199–200.
Kim, H. J., & Kim, H. R. (2013). Naturally occurring mediastinal teratoma with malignant transformation in an adult male. The Korean Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 46(4), 305–308.
Lin, C., Du, Y., Li, Y., Wang, H., & Chang, J. (2016). Superior mediastinal mature cystic teratoma with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma transformation: Report of a case. Oncotarget, 7(25), 38392–38397.
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Sanders, R., Jorda, M. (2018). Teratoma, Mediastinal with Malignant Component. In: Allen, T.C., Suster, S. (eds) Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_3258
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