Primary thyroid teratoma in adults: A case report and systematic review of the literature

Nastos,Constantinos; Paspala,Anna; Stamelos,Mathew; Mavroeidi,Ioanna; Proikas,Konstantinos; Thomopoulou,Georgia; Psyrri,Amanda; Pikoulis,Emmanuil

doi:10.3892/mco.2021.2331

Primary thyroid teratoma in adults: A case report and systematic review of the literature

Authors:
- Constantinos Nastos
- Anna Paspala
- Mathew Stamelos
- Ioanna Mavroeidi
- Konstantinos Proikas
- Georgia Thomopoulou
- Amanda Psyrri
- Emmanuil Pikoulis
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Affiliations: Third Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece, Endocrine Unit, 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine and Research Institute, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece, ENT Department, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece, Department of Cytopathology, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Published online on: June 23, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2021.2331
Article Number: 169

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Abstract

Extragonadal germ cell tumors are uncommon in adults and only 2‑5% of teratomas develop in extragonadal sites. Primary thyroid teratomas represent <0.1% of all primary thyroid gland neoplasms. In the present report, a case of primary thyroid teratoma in a 65‑year‑old female is described. Furthermore, the current literature regarding patients who were diagnosed with primary thyroid teratoma and underwent surgical resection was systematically reviewed. A total of 15 studies of 27 patients (age range, 17‑65 years). Growing mass or neck swelling were the primary symptoms in 14 patients (51.8%). Only one (5.5%) patient was preoperatively diagnosed with malignant thyroid teratoma. All patients underwent thyroidectomy, but 6 cases had more advanced surgery, including lymph node dissection. A total of 12 patients received a combination of adjuvant chemoradiation postoperatively, 10 (45.4%) patients reported recurrence of disease and 8 (29.6%) were postoperatively diagnosed with distant metastases. A total of 9 (39.1%) patients died due to progression of the disease. In conclusion, primary thyroid teratomas are rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively. In particular, malignant cases are very aggressive tumors with a considerably poor prognosis, even after surgical resection combined with adjuvant chemoradiation.

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