Is ovarian teratoma serious?

Written by Wang Jing Hua

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Updated on July 02, 2025

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The diagnosis reveals an ovarian teratoma, with conditions varying from person to person. The severity depends on specific test results and individual symptoms. Some teratomas may remain stable over time without significant changes; others might grow rapidly or even become malignant; some ovarian teratomas may exhibit endocrine activity, such as secreting thyroid hormones, leading to changes in the overall physical state. In a few cases, as the teratoma grows to a certain size, it may cause torsion due to changes in body position among other factors.

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Written by Sun Shan Shan

Obstetrics and Gynecology

1min 2sec

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Does teratoma require a blood test?

Ovarian teratomas are ovarian germ cell tumors, divided into mature teratomas and immature teratomas. Mature teratomas, also known as dermoid cysts, are benign ovarian tumors. Immature teratomas belong to malignant tumors. Before surgery for ovarian teratomas, further blood tests are required, including tumor marker tests. This includes serum CA125 tests; if the level of serum CA125 is elevated, it may indicate a malignant tumor. Other tests include serum AFP, serum HCG, sex hormone tests, and serum HE4 tests, among others. The nature of the cyst needs to be determined based on blood tests and combined pelvic CT scans. Once an ovarian teratoma is diagnosed, timely surgical treatment is necessary.

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Written by Li Chang Yue

General Surgery

54sec

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How long does it take to recover from a laparoscopic teratoma surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery for teratomas generally allows those with minor and less severe symptoms to recover back to normal within about one to two weeks. However, recovery takes longer for complex teratomas, especially those that involve the removal of parts of organs. In severe cases where sections of the intestine are removed, recovery can extend to three to four weeks or more. Therefore, the specific recovery time for treating teratomas with laparoscopy must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the patient's specific condition. Moreover, after laparoscopic surgery for teratomas, it is essential to conduct further pathological examinations. Some malignant teratomas may require additional surgeries, and maybe even include chemotherapy or other treatment measures, potentially extending the recovery period.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei

Obstetrics and Gynecology

45sec

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Can teratoma be treated with minimally invasive surgery?

Teratoma is a type of ovarian cyst. Whether a teratoma can be treated through minimally invasive surgery needs to be assessed based on the size of the teratoma. If the teratoma is of normal size, then it can be treated with laparoscopic teratoma surgery. However, if the teratoma is excessively large, such a large teratoma will occupy most of the volume of the pelvic abdomen. In this case, it is not possible to perform minimally invasive surgery. Therefore, further evaluation is needed before performing teratoma surgery to determine if it is suitable for minimally invasive surgery.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

53sec

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Can a teratoma be detected by ultrasound?

Teratomas are a common type of solid tumor in the ovaries, and the vast majority of ovarian teratomas are benign. The most common method to examine teratomas in women is to perform an ultrasound. Generally, an abdominal ultrasound can be done 3-7 days after the menstrual cycle has ended to observe the ultrasonic echo of both ovaries. Normally, both ovaries are uniform in size and echo. If the ultrasound suggests the presence of a substantive mass on the ovary, which has a strong echo, or indicates the presence of fat or bone echoes, then this condition is highly suspected to be a teratoma. For ovarian teratomas, if the size is relatively small and there are no clinical symptoms, temporary observation is possible. However, if it is larger than five centimeters, laparoscopic removal is generally recommended.

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Written by Shen Li Wen

Obstetrics and Gynecology

1min 22sec

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How to Determine if a Teratoma is Benign

Teratomas in women are classified into benign and malignant categories. Benign teratomas typically have a complete capsule and grow very slowly. Some women find that the size of the teratoma does not change significantly during follow-up exams. Malignant teratomas, however, grow quickly and can present severe clinical symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and pelvic masses, with some women also experiencing fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity. Furthermore, blood tests for gynecological tumor markers can also be used for differentiation. For example, in malignant tumors, markers such as CA-125, CA-199, and alpha-fetoprotein are elevated to varying degrees, particularly alpha-fetoprotein. During a CT scan, malignant teratomas may show unclear borders, potentially indicating invasion into the surrounding tissues. Additionally, after surgical removal of the tumor, pathological histological examination can be conducted for further differentiation. For instance, malignant teratomas tend to have a higher proportion of immature components.