Abstract Teratoma is the most common germ cell
tumour in childhood; mature (MT) and immature teratomas
(IT) are benign tumours, but if they recur, they
can be in some cases malignant. The aim of this paper
is to evaluate Italian patients with MT and IT enrolled
from 1991 to 2001, in a prospective multicentric study.
One hundred and eighty-three patients, observed in 15
Italian Centers of Paediatric Oncology and three
Paediatric Surgical Units were enrolled. Clinical data,
treatment and results were all analysed. Initial evaluation
and subsequent follow up included clinical
examination, tumour markers and imaging procedures.
Surgical resection was recommended for all the tumours.
Histology was centrally reviewed and IT was
classified as grading 1–3. Chemotherapy (CT) with
Vinblastine, D-actinomycin and cyclophosphamide
was indicated for extra-testicular IT grade 2 or 3. MT
