Follow-up After Treatment of Mature and Immature Teratomas

After successful resection, neonates diagnosed with benign mature and immature teratomas are closely observed with follow-up exams and serial serum AFP determinations. These tests are done for several years to ensure that AFP measurements normalize to expected physiological levels and to facilitate early detection of tumor relapse.[19,20] Several oncology groups have reported significant rates of recurrence among these benign tumors, ranging from 10% to 21%. Most relapses occur within 3 years of resection.[5,19,21,22]

While there is no standard follow-up schedule, tumor markers are measured frequently for 3 years in all children. With early detection, recurrent malignant GCTs can be treated successfully with surgery and chemotherapy (OS rate, 92%).[23] Long-term survivors are monitored for complications of extensive surgery, which include constipation, fecal and urinary incontinence, and psychologically unacceptable cosmetic scars.[24]