Cervical mature teratoma 17 years after initial treatment of testicular teratocarcinoma: report of a late relapse

BACKGROUND Late relapses of testicular germ cell tumor are uncommon. We report a case of cervical mature teratoma appeared 17 years after treatment of testicular teratocarcinoma. CASE PRESENTATION A 20-year-old patient underwent left sided orchiectomy followed by systemic therapy and retroperitoneal residual mass resection in 1989. He remained in complete remission for 200 months. In 2005 a huge left supraclavicular neck mass with extension to anterior mediastinum appeared. Radical surgical resection of the mass was performed and pathologic examination revealed mature teratoma. CONCLUSION This is one of the longest long-term reported intervals of a mature teratoma after treatment of a testicular nonseminoma germ cell tumor. This case emphasizes the necessity for follow up of testicular cancer throughout the patient's life.