Sacrococcygeal Teratoma
“Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a tumor that develops before birth and grows from a baby’s coccyx — more commonly known as the tailbone. It is the most common tumor found in newborns, occurring in 1 out of every 35,000 to 40,000 live births.
The tumor is usually covered with skin, but may be covered by a thin, transparent tissue called a membrane. Most tumors have many blood vessels coming through them. They come in many different sizes, and sometimes they may grow outward from the back or toward your child’s stomach.
SCT tumors are categorized according to their location and severity:
- Type I tumors are external (outside the body) tumors and are attached to the tailbone.
- Type II tumors have both internal (inside the body) and external parts.
- Type III tumors can be seen from the outside, but most of the tumor is inside your child’s abdomen.
- Type IV tumors, the most serious tumors, can’t been seen from the outside. They are inside the body at the tailbone level.
For an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of sacrococcygeal teratoma, watch our educational video below.” Read More