Growing teratoma syndrome after surgery for ovarian immature teratoma

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is a condition characterized by tumor growth during or after chemotherapy for a germ cell tumor, albeit with normal tumor marker levels in the absence of histopathological evidence of immature teratoma components. We encountered a 10-cm large GTS lesion in the para-aorti nodes after fertility-preserving surgery for a grade 3 ovarian immature teratoma. The patient was a 20 year old woman who presented to the hospital with complaints of abdominal pain and swelling. Imaging examination revealed an ovarian tumor mass measuring 24 cm in the abdominal cavity, suspected to be composed of a mixture of fat and other components. The α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were elevated at 853 ng/mL. We elected to perform fertility-preserving surgery. The surgical findings included a tumor in the right ovary, which was excised without rupture with adnexectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was grade 3 immature teratoma. Palpation of the pelvic and para-aortic lymph node areas did not reveal significant lymphadenopathy. Subsequently, a para-aortic node metastasis (major axis: 8 cm) was discovered before chemotherapy (19 days after surgery). We confirmed that there was no swelling before surgery and assumed that the immature teratoma had recurred. Chemotherapy was initiated, and the serum AFP levels normalized after 4 courses of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) therapy. However, the para-aortic node metastasis had grown further (major axis: 10 cm). Another open surgery was performed. The nodal mass was completely excised and pathology revealed only mature teratoma. Growing teratoma syndrome should be considered in the setting of a recurrent mass with negative tumor markers.