title: Immature teratoma presenting as a soft-tissue mass with no evidence of other sites of involvement: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Germ cell tumors are tumors composed of tissues derived from more than one of the three germinal layers. They are more common in the testes and ovaries, but can present in many different regions in the midline, including the sacral region, retroperitoneum, mediastinum, and brain. Testicular germ cell tumors generally metastasize to the retroperitoneum, lungs, and brain; metastases to soft tissue are very rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we describe a case of a single soft-tissue mass in the thigh of a 27-year-old man, with histology showing areas of mature teratoma tissues derived from the ectodermal and mesodermal lineages, and areas of immature teratoma tissue composed of small undifferentiated cells, with primitive neuroectodermal differentiation foci forming neuroepithelial elements - thus classified as immature teratoma. The patient had no other clinical or radiological evidence of involvement, besides the lymph nodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The case presented suggests a rare and unexpected primary immature teratoma of the thigh.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Radamés Ádamo
authors.initials: RÁ
authors.lastname: Zuquello
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giordano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tagliari
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bagatini
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Hohmann
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Camiña
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Oncology research group of Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha/Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Department of Clinical Oncology, Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nadia Aparecida
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Lorencette
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil. antuani.baptistella@unoesc.edu.br.|Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil. antuani.baptistella@unoesc.edu.br.|Oncology research group of Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha/Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil. antuani.baptistella@unoesc.edu.br.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências e Saúde/Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil. antuani.baptistella@unoesc.edu.br.|Travessa Domingos Bonato, 37 - CEP: 89600-000, Joaçaba, Santa Catarina/SC, Brazil. antuani.baptistella@unoesc.edu.br.
authors.forename: Antuani Rafael
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Baptistella
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Oncology research group of Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha/Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Joaçaba, Brazil.|Department of Oncological Surgery, Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manfro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D013848:Thigh; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Germ cell tumor; Soft tissue; Teratoma