Does teratoma affect menstruation?

Written by Zhang Xiu Rong
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Teratoma, under normal circumstances, does not affect menstruation, but it does affect fertility. If it is confirmed that one side has a teratoma, surgery is generally required. After treatment, the ovary on that side is typically removed. Once removed, that ovary will no longer ovulate, and ovulation must occur from the other ovary. The maintenance of hormone levels in the body needs to be supported by the other ovary. If the function of the other ovary is normal, menstruation will continue to occur normally; it will not affect menstruation. However, if after the removal of the teratoma, one ovary is removed, the chance of conception is reduced by half compared to others. Therefore, it is crucial for patients with teratoma to undergo surgery as early as possible. After the surgery, if the pathology shows no issues and if it is a simple teratoma removal, it does not affect menstruation.

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Written by Xu Xiao Ming
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Is ovarian teratoma cancer?

Ovarian teratomas are divided into benign and malignant types. If the teratoma is malignant, then it is a type of cancer. If it is benign, it is not cancer; it is just a tumor. The malignancy of a tumor is not as high as that of cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to determine its pathological type. After removing the teratoma, it should be sent to the pathology department for examination to clearly determine whether it is benign or malignant. For benign teratomas, postoperative follow-up observation is sufficient. However, if the teratoma is malignant, the scope of the surgery should be conducted according to the protocols for ovarian cancer, and chemotherapy is required after surgery.

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How is a teratoma surgically removed?

When a woman has an ovarian teratoma, treatment should be determined based on the specific age of the woman, whether the teratoma is benign or malignant, and other factors. For example, if the woman is relatively young and has a benign teratoma and wishes to preserve her fertility, she can undergo ovarian teratoma excision surgery, which can be performed either laparoscopically or through an open surgery. During the operation, the entire teratoma can be completely separated and placed in a specimen bag to prevent contamination of the woman's pelvic cavity and avoid chemical peritonitis or granuloma. If the teratoma is malignant, then it is necessary to remove the adnexa and perform a comprehensive staging surgery. After surgery, based on the results of the pathological examination, it will be decided whether additional treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy are needed.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Is teratoma related to HPV?

Teratomas are not related to HPV. Teratomas grow on the ovaries, while HPV infections occur in the cervix or vaginal area, so the locations of these two diseases are different. There are benign teratomas and immature teratomas, which must be surgically removed after detection. Most women will be infected with the HPV virus at some point in their lives, and the majority will clear the virus within two years through their immune system, so there is no need to be overly concerned about HPV infections, just regular follow-ups are sufficient.

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Written by Zhao Xiao Dong
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Will the teratoma recur after the ovary is removed?

For teratomas, ovarian tumor excision surgery is generally chosen. If the teratoma is too large, and the remaining ovarian tissue is insufficient, there is no need to preserve the ovary, or if the teratoma has severe torsion causing ovarian tissue necrosis, an oophorectomy is necessary. After the oophorectomy, recurrence on the same side is generally not observed, but there is sometimes a possibility of recurrence on the opposite side, though the likelihood of recurrence is very low. Generally, if one ovary is removed due to a teratoma, the recurrence rate on the opposite side is usually less than 10%. Treatment of teratomas is generally surgical, and if not treated timely, complications such as torsion may occur.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
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Why does a teratoma have hair?

Mature teratomas contain lipids, hair, and even bone and other tissue structures within the tumor cavity. The main reason for this is that teratomas are composed of cells from multiple embryonic layers. These embryonic layer cells can develop in different directions, further developing into tissues such as hair, lipids, or bones. Therefore, during surgical procedures, it is common to find hair within the teratoma.