Library · Neoplasm
Ovarian germ cell tumor
Make it clearer
An ovarian germ cell tumor begins in germ cells, the cells that give rise to eggs. Picture the ovary as an organ containing several cell families: this name points to the germ cell family and separates the mass from one that begins in the epithelial lining.
This category includes both benign and malignant tumors. They occur more often in adolescents or young women and frequently affect one ovary, but those broad patterns do not determine the behavior of an individual mass.
In brief
An ovarian germ cell tumor is an abnormal mass arising from germ cells, the cells that give rise to eggs within the ovary. Its name identifies that origin and distinguishes it from tumors that begin in the ovarian epithelium.
This group includes both benign and malignant tumors. They most often occur in adolescents or young women and frequently involve only one ovary, but these population-level patterns cannot predict how any specific mass will behave.
Sources (1)
- National Cancer Institute, NIHDefinition of ovarian germ cell tumor
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated