Clinicopathologic Features and Chromosome 12p Status of Pediatric Sacrococcygeal Teratomas: A Multi-institutional Analysis

Abstract

Chromosome 12p gains are typically present in postpubertal male patients with testicular malignant germ cell tumors, including most teratomas, and absent in pure ovarian teratomas, both mature and immature. We sought to evaluate the clinicopathologic features and chromosome 12p status of pediatric patients with sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) using the institutional databases of 2 tertiary medical centers. Seven mature teratomas (3 pure, 2 with yolk sac tumor, 1 with medulloepithelioma, and 1 with ependymoma) and 3 immature teratomas (2 pure: grade 2 and grade 3 and 1 mixed: grade 3 with yolk sac tumor) were identified. All patients underwent surgery and 2 received adjuvant chemotherapy. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was performed to elucidate chromosome 12p gains, including isochromosome 12p. All 10 tumors analyzed lacked 12p gains regardless of the components. No patient had evidence of disease at their most recent interval follow-up (mean: 30, range: 7–91 months), irrespective of margin status or of receiving chemotherapy. Overall, our study suggests an absence of chromosome 12p abnormalities in clinically nonaggressive SCTs. Additional data are required to confirm these findings before definitive patient care recommendations can be made.