A case of growing teratoma syndrome managed by laparoscopic surgery

Abstract

  Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is defined as enlargement of a mature teratoma which arises during or after chemotherapy, caused by a malignant germ cell tumor. We managed a case of GTS in a 33-year-old woman who was successfully treated by laparoscopic surgery. She was diagnosed immature teratoma at the age of eighteen. Three and fifteen years after her initial surgery and chemotherapy, the mature teratoma recurred as pelvic masses without or with ovarian tumor. At the second recurrence, early recognition enabled us to perform laparoscopic surgery consisting of ovarian cystectomy and resection of a pelvic mass. Final histological evaluation documented only the mature teratoma. Her post-operative course was uneventful without recurrence for one year. Laparoscopic surgery was performed safely and considered to be an effective method in this case. Early recognition of GTS is important for its curative resection, especially to be completed by laparoscopic surgery. A long term follow-up is also essential because of the possibility of late recurrence.