Skin nonmelanocytic tumor
Other tumors of skin
Benign (mature) cystic teratoma
Author: Hillary Rose Elwood, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2016
Last staff update: 26 April 2023
Copyright: 2001-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed search: benign (mature) cystic teratoma skin
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Elwood H. Benign (mature) cystic teratoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/skintumornonmelanocyticbenigncysticteratoma.html. Accessed December 22nd, 2024.
Definition / general
- Congenital tumor (extremely rare in skin) containing tissue components from all 3 germinal layers
Clinical features
- Very rare with only scattered case reports
- Lesions present at birth
- Locations vary including face, back, neck, knee
Case reports
- A cystic teratoma in skin (Am J Dermatopathol 1985;7:383, Histopathology 1996;29:384)
- Benign cutaneous cystic teratoma (J Cutan Pathol 1982;9:345)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Cystic structure with elements from all 3 germinal layers (ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm)
- Variable tissue types may be present from the germinal layers:
- Superficial ectoderm such as epidermis and appendages
- Neuroectoderm (nervous tissue)
- Mesoderm such as connective tissue, striated and smooth muscle
- Endoderm such as respiratory epithelium, thyroid tissue, GI mucosa
Differential diagnosis
