What Is a Cervical Teratoma (Giant Neck Mass)?
A cervical teratoma is a very rare tumor. It is typically not cancerous and is often part solid and part fluid. Signs are typically seen on the routine 18-week ultrasound. These tumors can be large and cause changes to the structure of your baby’s neck and face. They can also make it hard for your baby to breathe and swallow. The cause is unknown. They are not passed on by parents, and they do not run in families.
How Is a Cervical Teratoma Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of a giant neck mass is typically done by ultrasound during pregnancy. Your doctor may refer you to a fetal center like Nationwide Children’s for a comprehensive evaluation and or order additional testing, such as:
- Ultrasound: A type of imaging that uses sound waves to see inside the body. This can help the doctor see the giant neck mass or if there is extra amniotic fluid.
- Fetal MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): This type of imaging gives more detailed pictures of your baby’s organs that may not have been seen on ultrasound, such as the airway or the esophagus.
How Is a Cervical Teratoma Treated?
Ultrasounds will be done on a regular basis for the rest of your pregnancy to watch the tumor’s growth and the amount of amniotic fluid. During pregnancy, the mass could block your baby’s airway and esophagus (the tube that carries food and liquids to the stomach).
If your baby’s airway is blocked when it’s time to deliver, you may be scheduled for an ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure, which is a special surgery delivery.
What Is My Baby’s Outcome (Prognosis)?
Finding this condition during pregnancy and treating it early increases your baby’s chances of survival. In most cases, the tumors are not cancerous (benign), and your child can live a long life.
Connect With Our Team
Our team is here to help as soon as you learn your baby may have a fetal concern or diagnosis. And a physician referral is not required. Our expert team evaluates and treats nearly every fetal complication, from the most common to the most complex conditions. With access to advanced diagnostic imaging, ultrasounds and fetal MRIs, you'll find the answers, and the treatment, here.
