Successful Surgical Treatment of Stage IVB Immature Teratoma Involving the Liver and Thoracic Cavity, With Combination Chemotherapy: A Case Report

Abstract

Immature teratomas are very rare tumors, representing only 1% of ovarian cancers. Distant metastases to the liver effect late disease manifestation, rendering chemotherapy the only viable option. Here, we report the successful surgical management of stage IVB immature teratoma after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. A 20-year-old woman presented with a huge abdominal palpable mass and dyspnea. Postoperative pathology confirmed immature teratoma with metastases to the liver, diaphragm, and thoracic cavity (stage IVB). The patient underwent right hemihepatectomy, diaphragm resection, thoracic mass resection, and diaphragm repair using aortic artificial graft. She did not receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. After the complete surgical resection of the tumor, the patient had no recurrence during the 44-month follow-up period. No established treatment modalities have been developed for further treatment, once the first-line combination chemotherapy achieves unfavorable results in stage IVB immature teratoma. Surgical resection may offer hope for excellent disease control in this dismal stage. To obtain best possible outcomes, coordinated care between oncologists and general surgeons is required.