“Mixed” gonadal dysgenesis with gonadoblastoma in situ

Dysgenetic male pseudohermaphroditism in a 45,X/46,X,del(Y)(q11.1) mosaic infant

We describe an infant with dysgenetic male pseudohermaphroditism and the karyotype 45,X/46,X,del(Y)(q11.1). Histologic examination of the resected gonads showed cortical dysplasia indicative of incipient gonadoblastoma.

Gonadoblastoma and Y-chromosome fluorescence

In this report we summarize our experience in 4 patients with 45,X/46,XY, one patient with 45,X/47,XYY mosaicism, and one patient with 46,XY karyotype and ambiguous external genitalia. In the 3 patients with a fluorescent Y-chromosome, the development of one or two gonadoblastomas was found, independent of the age of the patients at the time of examination. In the 3 patients with 45,X/46,XYnf mosaicism no gonadoblastoma was detected. This finding prompted us to review the data on patients reported with 45,X/46,XYnf mosaicism. Up to now, no patient with well documented 45,X/46,XYnf mosaicism and convincing evidence of development of gonadoblastoma has been reported. These data seem to confirm that alterations of the characteristic distal fluorescence of Yq may protect the dysgenetic gonad against tumoral degeneration in patients with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism. Possible mechanisms responsible for these changes in the oncogenic potential of Yq in relation with the Y chromosome fluorescence are discussed.

Carcinoma in situ of the testis in children with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis

The frequency of gonadal tumors in intersex patients with a karyotype including a Y chromosome is very high. In other at-risk groups, testicular germ cell tumors have been shown to be preceded by carcinoma in situ (CIS) changes. We investigated gonadal tissue from four children, aged 1 month to 18 years, with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, and with male or ambiguous genitalia, for the presence of CIS germ cells. Twelve gonadal biopsies and gonadectomy specimens were analyzed by means of conventional histology and densitometric DNA measurements. CIS changes were detected in specimens from all four patients, and aneuploid DNA distributions of the CIS germ cells confirmed the malignant potential of these cells. In one case, electron microscopic analysis revealed the same ultrastructural features of the CIS germ cells as previously described in seminoma cells. These observations indicate that in all patients with 45,X/46XY gonadal dysgenesis and a male phenotype, gonadal biopsies should be considered as soon as the syndrome is diagnosed. We believe that the finding of CIS warrants gonadectomy.

The age of occurrence of gonadal tumors in intersex patients with a Y chromosome

A total of 320 intersex patients with a Y chromosome were classified into four groups; (1) gonadal dysgenesis, (2) asymmetrical gonadal differentiation, (3) virilizing male hermaphroditism and (4) feminizing male hermaphroditism (testicular feminization syndrome). Of these 320 cases, 98 were from the files of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the remainder from the literature. The incidence of tumors in relation to age and clinical classification was analyzed by computer. The results were plotted for each group. It was found that the percentage of tumors rose appreciably soon after the age of puberty in the first three groups, and it was concluded that the gonads were best removed before the age of puberty. In the case of testicular feminization patients, procrastination until the age of 25 could be considered, if one were willing to assume the risk of neoplasia of about 3.6 per cent until then.

Dysgerminoma

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