A total of 21 cartes of sacrococcygeal teratomas is reviewed and analyzed
histopathologically. They were 15 mature teratomas, one immature teratomas, and five
endodermal sinus tumors. All but one neoplasm occurred In Infants aged 3 years or
younger and had visible masses at birth. Seventeen of these cases occurred in females.
In mature teratomas, variable teratoid elements were observed and neuroglial tissue
was particularly prominent among them. Also found were gastrointestinal mucosa,
respiratory mucosa, pancreas, retinal tissue, and cartilage in order of frequency. Only
one carte of mature teratoma recurred and turned out to be endodermal sinus tumor
with metastasis to the lungs.
One immature teratoma showed undifferentiated neuroectodermal tissue in over half of
the total area and the remaining portion consisted of mature neuroglial tissue and
gastrointestinal mucosa.
All endodermal sinus tumors were not combined with germinomatous or
choriocarcinomatous elements. Three cases of endodermal sinus tumor contained mature
teratoid components adjacent to the carcinomatous area.
Based on the findings describes above, we discussed some different histopathologic
characteristics between the sacrococcygeal teratomas and gonadal teratomas, and
speculated the possible origin of sacrococcrgeal teratoma from the sequestrated portion
in the proximal part of cloacal membrane. And this sequestration might be occurred
during the process of cephalo-caudal folding in early embryonal period.
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