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Entry: ** TERATOMA ** Nov 6, 2006

Assalamualaikum….

Tak tau knapa pagi nie mata aku berat sgt nak lelap. Nak baca novel pn tak khusyuk, nak nonton tv pn xde citer yg best, so aku decide utk tunaikan janji aku pd korang sumer…iaitu bercerita ttg penyakit yg aku hidapi sedari aku dilahirkan dan kesannyer sehingga kini.

Untuk pengetahuan semua, aku adalah penghidap 'Spinal TERATOMA'. Since aku baby lagi aku dh kena penyakit nie. Memula tu aku ni cam baby lain gak….comey (heheheh)….aktif n of coz manja. Tapi, bila umur aku 6 bulan je….ada perubahan pada kaki aku…semakin hari semakin lemah. Parents aku pn bawak aku ke hospital……but unfortunetly, doc x dpt kesan apa sebenarnyer penyakit aku. Sehinggalah umur aku menjangkau usia 7 tahun, waktu tu tahap perubatan di Malaysia nie dh canggih, so dengan adanyer CT scan, barulah aku di sahkan menghidap sejenis ketumbuhan yg dipanggil TERATOMA. Rupanyer seakan-akan gigi dan rambut. Ia hidup di dalam tulang belakang aku dan merebak ke paru-paru. Seingat aku waktu usia 7 tahun tu teratoma dh hampir memakan paru-paru aku. Secepat yg mungkin doc operate untuk selamatkan aku. Usia 9 tahun pulak, pembedahan kali ke-2…kali ini untuk membuang teratoma di dalam tulang belakang plak.

Kalau la aku nk ceritakan satu-persatu pembedahan yg aku dah jalani….mmg penuh la blog nie. Jadi aku rasa cukuplah sekadar aku beritahu yg kini aku telah selamat dari tumor teratoma ini. Walaupun ada kemungkinan ianyer tumbuh kembali…..namun aku berdoa agar teratoma ini akan 'pergi' selama-lamanyer dr hidup aku. Insya-allah.

So, secara ringkasnyer aku akan tinggalkan sedikit notes ttg teratoma di sini untuk bacaan korang.

Apa itu TERATOMA?

A teratoma is a type of tumor that derives from pluripotent germ cells. The word comes from a Greek term meaning roughly "monster tumor". Teratomata usually start from cells in the testes in men, the ovaries in women and in the sacrum in children. The designation teratoma refers to a group of complex tumors having various cellular or organoid components reminiscent of normal derivatives from more than one germ layer. Teratomata are divided into three categories: (1) mature (benign), (2) immature (malignant), and (3) monodermal or highly specialized.

Teratomata often contain well-differentiated cells which can result in tissues growing in a teratoma which are quite different from the surrounding tissue—ovarian teratomata have been known to grow hair and teeth. Such a benign cystic teratoma is often termed a dermoid cyst, nowadays more correctly termed a mature teratoma. Some teratomata may contain a mixture of well-differentiated, mature tissues as: respiratory epithelium, hair follicle, fat tissue or mature nervous tissue. Immature teratomata of the ovary have a malignant potential in line with the amount of neuroblastic tissue present.

Testicular teratomata are generally less well-differentiated, and have a worse prognosis (chances of recovery are not as high).

Some teratomata secrete the "pregnancy hormone" human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which can be used in clinical practice to follow-up successful treatment or relapse in patients with a known HCG-secreting teratoma. It is not recommended as a diagnostic marker.

Some teratomata secrete thyroxine, in some cases to such a degree that it can lead to clinical hyperthyroidism in the patient.

In light of the ethical issues surrounding the source of human stem cells, teratomas are being looked at as an alternative source for research since they lack the potential to grow into functional human beings.

Spinal cord teratoma is a specific and very rare tumor. Evidence that spinal cord teratomas are associated with spina bifida suggests a different pathogenesis for this disease. However, the origin of teratomas in spinal dysraphism remains unclear. Here we report the clinical and pathological findings in two cases of spinal teratoma associated with open and closed spinal dysraphism. We emphasize the high incidence of spinal dysraphism and spinal teratoma association and discuss the characteristics and pathogenesis of this rare tumor with review of the literature.

Symptoms

Symptoms are not specific to spinal cord tumors and may be present in any myelopathic process.
Because of the slow-growing nature of the tumors, symptoms precede tumor discovery an average of 2 years.
Pain often is the earliest symptom, characteristically occurring at night when the patient is supine.
Pain may be local or radiating.
Progressive weakness may occur in the arms or legs.
Patients may have impaired bowel or bladder function.
Impotence may occur.
Patients may have poor balance.
Symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage may be present.

This is a sagittal image of an enhancing conus medullaris lesion in a 45-year-old man who presented with midline back pain. This hemangioblastoma was removed completely. The patient remains neurologically intact, and imaging of his neuroaxis did not disclose other lesions.