Teratocarcinoma gigante de mediastino anterosuperior

Germ cell tumors are not so frequent; among them, teratomas are most common in the mediastinal location. Teratomas in young men are usually malignant (teratocarcinoma), with a gender ratio of 13.5:1, and an average age of 26 years. We describe the evolution of a 19-year-old man with a mediastinal tumor, with pulmonary metastases and intracardiac infiltration, successfully removed; whose most frequent symptoms were: dyspnea, retrosternal pain, fever, cough, weight loss and superior vena cava syndrome. The diagnosis was made by chest x-ray and computed tomography. Total removal of the tumor and metastases was achieved, as well as the intracardiac tumor, with tricuspid valve repair. The patient had a satisfactory outcome during the first follow-up year.