Cervical teratoma in children.

Two cases of cervical teratoma in newborn infants are reported. One had neural tissue in cervical lymph nodes, posing the question of malignancy. Only two similar cases have been previously reported. One hundred forty-nine cases of cervical teratoma and two patients of our own have been reviewed with regard to age, sex, clinical manifestation, pathology, management, and prognosis. Early excision is emphasized. The available evidence indicates that cervical teratomas, at least in the newborn period, are virtually always benign. Further studies, including long-term observation of children and a complete consideration of the histology of the neoplasms, are needed to clarify the problem of whether malignancy ever occur in cervical teratomas of children. A conservative surgical management of these neoplasms is recommended.