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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar:80:105680.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2021.105680. Epub 2021 Feb 26.

Mature mediastinal teratoma with somatic type malignancy including neuroblastoma and intestinal type of adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Maciej Rachwalik  1 , Kinga Kosiorowska  2 , Maciej Bochenek  1 , Marek Jasinski  1 , Roman Przybylski  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Mature mediastinal teratoma with somatic type malignancy including neuroblastoma and intestinal type of adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Maciej Rachwalik et al. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Introduction and importance: The majority of mediastinal tumours develop asymptomatically and are often detected incidentally on a chest X-ray performed for another reason. Mediastinal tumours, although mostly asymptomatic, may cause non-specific symptoms associated with advanced tumour growth.

Case presentation: We present a case of a 30-year-old woman who presented with exhaustion and lower back pain accompanied by severe headaches with symptoms of visual disturbances, followed by the typical Horner syndrome. Computed tomography revealed a tumour measuring 12 × 11 × 10 cm in the right cavity with features suggestive of teratoma. The patient underwent mediastinal tumour resection and thymectomy. The pathomorphological examination confirmed the primary diagnosis of mediastinal teratoma, but rare somatic type malignancy was detected. Therefore, the patient was referred for further oncological treatment.

Discussion: Mediastinal teratoma is an uncommon finding and usually asymptomatic. Despite its slow growth, it can grow enough to compress adjacent structures, causing symptoms similar to those presented in our patient.

Conclusion: Radiologic imaging proves diagnostic in most cases. Despite the somatic type malignancy, surgical excision of the tumour using the en-bloc technique seems to be a sufficient option for the patient, and further oncological treatment is not always obligatory.

Keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Mediastinal teratoma; Mediastinal tumour; Neuroblastoma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pre-operative chest x-ray.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Axial contrast-enhanced CT image at the level of the pulmonary artery trunk shows a round, anterior mediastinal mass with heterogenous content.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
En-block tumour resected from the right thoracic cavity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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