Epidemiological features of testicular teratoma in a prepubertal population.
OBJECTIVE
Prepubertal teratomas of the testis are rare benign tumors. Knowledge of the epidemiology of testicular teratomas and associated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels could assist in planning treatment for prepubertal patients suspected of having teratoma of the testis.


METHODS
We evaluated data on testicular teratoma from the Prepubertal Testis Tumor Registry of the Section on Urology of the American Academy of Pediatrics.


RESULTS
Median patient age at presentation was 13 months. Teratomas occurred equally in the right and left testes. Most patients presented with a scrotal mass. Preoperative AFP levels were elevated in 20 of the 34 patients and postoperative levels were elevated in 9 of 10. Most patients were treated with radical orchiectomy and no metastatic disease was reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Data in the registry confirm the benign nature of this tumor. Normal AFP levels should not be expected in infants with teratoma.
Grady
R W
RW
Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
Ross
J H
JH
Kay
R
R
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013724:Teratoma / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins