Malignant Teratoma of the Thyroid Gland: A Case Report

Abstract

Thyroid teratomas are rare tumors. Their degree of malignancy depends on the degree of immaturity of the tissues making up the teratoma. Usually mild in children, they are mostly malignant in adults. Their prognosis is reserved, taking into account tumor aggressiveness and rate of local recurrence and/or recurrence at distance. If surgery must be performed, radiotherapy has not proven to be very effective, and chemotherapy is used as neoadjuvant treatment or after this surgery, with a limited effect. We present the case of a 44 years old woman, who consulted for a fast-growing cervical mass, with compressive signs, who had a thyroidectomia that revealed an immature teratoma of the thyroid gland. 3 months after surgery, during chemotherapy, she accused a local recurrence, that leaded to a fatal outcome 8 months later.