OCCULT MALIGNANCY IN NEONATAL SACROCOCCYGEAL TERATOMAS - A REPORT FROM A COMBINED PEDIATRIC-ONCOLOGY-GROUP AND CHILDRENS CANCER GROUP-STUDY

Purpose: Six children who had mature or immature sacrococcygeal terato mas diagnosed in the newborn period have since been registered on a Pe diatric Oncology Group/Children's Cancer Group germ cell study with re current malignant neoplasia [pure yolk sac tumor (YST) or teratoma wit h yolk sac elements]. Results: Four of the children have responded to therapy, one has died, and one has been lost to follow-up. Review of t he slides from five of the original tumors identified microscopic foci of YST in four. Conclusions: Detection of such foci in neonatal tumor s is important because serum alpha-fetoprotein concentrations may not be helpful since they may normally be high in the newborn period due t o fetal production.