Symptoms

Symptoms are directly proportional to the size of tumor. In small tumors, less symptoms are there and in large tumors more symptoms are seen.

• Shortness of breath or dyspnea
• Stridor
• Trouble in swallowing
• Oesophagus (food pipe) shrinks
• Windpipe or trachea contracts
• Amniotic fluid increases

Ovarian teratoma Symptoms

This occurs only in female and symptoms are :

• Back pain
• Frequent uterine bleeding
• Trouble in gastrointestinal system
• Pain in Abdomen
• Swelling 

Causes

Tumors are sporadic which can happen without reason to anyone doesn’t matter what the age, gender and age is. No familial recurrence or genes are involved.

More about Treatment

AVAILABLE TREATMENTS FOR CERVICAL TERATOMA 

Your doctor will decide on a course of treatment by examining the size and severity of the disease. Treatment is also based upon other diseases that contribute to adult and fetal teratoma. 

Mom and foetus are kept under observation for some days in a pregnancy stage. The team during treatment includes patients, foetus, Perinatologist, radiologist, ENT and nurse.  In the prenatal round, a thorough ultrasound method is used to check the level of amniotic fluid, size,etc. Small sized fetal tumors don't cause much problems but very large tumors often take up the space of ears, jaw and mouth. It becomes difficult for the heart to supply enough blood to the cervical mass and as a result the heart fails.

EXIT procedure is also a very effective technique in this procedure doctors make incision to the uterus and remove just the half and mostly head and neck part and side by side balances the pregnancy and breathing tube is arranged the umbilical cord is clamped and baby is delivered safely. This procedure is subdivided into 3 parts to separately check trachea, bronchi and larynx.

For trachea tracheostomy is used to make enough area for the air, this is a best alternative if breathing tube isn’t the right choice or not available. Bronchoscopy is used to monitor bronchi’s condition and for larynx, laryngoscopy is taken.

DIAGNOSIS (TEST) FOR CERVICAL TERATOMA 

Doctors will arrange  numerous tests to help confirm the diagnosis. Primary tests include :

a) Ultrafast fetal MRI - This is a reliable fetal imaging test which helps to know about the category of masses. While performing this test doctors do not use special sedations for mom and not even temporarily paralyze foetus. 

b) Fetal Echocardiogram -  To examine the heart health of a baby this test is conducted.

HOW COMMON IS CERVICAL TERATOMA ?

This is a very rare type of cervical cancer and it is said that 80%  is neonatal teratoma  and females are targeted more often than males. Approximately 2-3 infants  in 30,000 to 40,000 live births get affected by cervical teratoma.

FAQ

1. WHAT IS THE SURVIVAL RATE OF FETAL TERATOMA ?

If baby’s surgery is done safely and the baby is normal internally and externally with less tumor mass then survival rates are more than 85% such that babies might get caught with hypothyroidism but it can be treated with proper medications. Frequent follow ups in 1-2 weeks for necessary updates in heart functioning, tumor growth and fluid level should be done. 

2. WHAT IS LUNG TERATOMA ?

Lung teratoma is uncommon even more than cervical teratoma. Around 300-500 cases are reported till date and this happens usually in the left lung and happens because of the formation of germ layers.

3. HOW  DO TERATOMAS FORM?

When the disturbance in the growth hormones cross the limit in germ cells teratomas form.

4. WHAT IS UTERINE TERATOMA?

This affects only 1-2% people, easily seen in infants and children. This is a subtype of extragonadal teratoma. 

5. GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT BRAIN TERATOMA.

This teratoma is extremely rare and 1 in 1,000,000 is affected. Cystic and calcified components destroy brain functioning and its growth and result in brain teratoma.