Incidence of Brain Teratomas in Pediatric Patients
Brain teratomas are rare in pediatric patients, accounting for less than 1% of all intracranial tumors in children, with estimates ranging from 0.5% to 2-4% of pediatric brain tumors. 1, 2
Epidemiologic Data
The incidence of intracranial teratomas in the pediatric population is notably low:
- Teratomas represent <1% of intracranial masses during childhood after infancy 3
- Among all pediatric brain tumors, intracranial teratomas account for 0.5% of all intracranial tumors and 2-4% of intracranial tumors specifically in children 2
- Congenital brain tumors (presenting within 60 days of birth) are extremely rare, accounting for only 0.5-1.9% of all pediatric brain tumors, with teratoma being the most common type in this age group 4, 5
Age Distribution and Clinical Context
The age distribution shows specific patterns:
- Most pediatric intracranial teratomas occur in the first decade of life, with a smaller proportion in the second decade 2
- The mean age at diagnosis is approximately 10.5 years 1
- When teratomas present congenitally (within the first 2 months of life), they represent the most frequently encountered intracranial tumor at birth, though this subset remains exceedingly rare 4, 5
Anatomic Location Patterns
Understanding tumor location helps contextualize the rarity:
- The third ventricle (particularly posterior third ventricle) is the most common intracranial site for pediatric teratomas 2
- Suprasellar and pineal regions are also common locations when teratomas occur supratentorially 3
- Teratomas located in the posterior third ventricle are more likely to contain immature components 2
Clinical Significance
Despite their rarity, recognition is important because:
- Intracranial teratomas are classified as a rare subset of primary intracranial non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT) 1
- The prognosis for mature teratomas is excellent, with no recurrences reported in recent case series with median follow-up of 4.6 years 1
- Common long-term sequelae include endocrine abnormalities (42.8%) and eye movement abnormalities (50.0%) 1