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What Families and Physicians Should Know About Teratomas
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Life After Teratoma
Teratomas present many challenges to practitioners. In this video series, clinicians from the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment explain the various types of teratomas, the importance of accurate diagnosis and monitoring, and the most advanced treatment options currently available. They also discuss follow-up care, and long-term outcomes. The video is highlighted by patient stories.
Transcript: Life After Teratoma
Alan W. Flake, MD: Babies that survive the fetal period with teratoma and can undergo a resection of tumor after birth have very good outcomes.
N. Scott Adzick, MD: So in the big view, many of these kids do quite well, but you still need to do the homework of the precise follow-up, not only in the short term but also in the long term.
Alan W. Flake, MD: You have to monitor a baby for about three years before you can be absolutely sure that there's no recurrence of the tumor.
N. Scott Adzick, MD: So follow up by examination, potentially by imaging studies such as MRI and by tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein and beta-hcg are important.
Lori J. Howell, RN: Most importantly is the follow-up we need to do for their first several years of life, in terms of filing their alpha-fetoprotein level at one month, and three month, and then six month, and then annual.
N. Scott Adzick, MD: -- to rule out a tumor recurrence because if the tumor is not completely resected, it can come back. The residual tumor can become malignant. Metastases can occur, and the teratoma then becomes a germ cell tumor.
Alan W. Flake, MD: Most of those recurrences, if they're detected early, can be treated as well.
Lori J. Howell, RN: And that's why making sure that they're followed later on throughout their life is very important.
Alan W. Flake, MD: But aside from the occasional malignancy that you see with SCT, most of the kids can have very normal lives with good outcomes.
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