Metastatic intestinal adenocarcinoma arising within mature teratoma of the mediastinum: report of a surgically-resected case

Intestinal adenocarcinoma spontaneously developing in an anterior mediastinal multilocular teratoma in a 33-year-old female is described. The patient has been experiencing chest distress for several months. On a chest X-ray, a cystic anterior mediastinal mass was identified. A subsequent computed tomography scan revealed a heterogeneous mass measuring 20x15x10 centimeters in the anterior right mediastinum. She underwent a median thoracotomy excision. The histopathologic examination revealed a mature teratoma with intestinal adenocarcinoma metastases associated with pulmonary, cutaneous, and diaphragmatic metastases.