Organ Preservation Technique Without Ischemia in Patients With Testicular Tumor

Critical elements of pediatric testicular germ cell tumors surgery

Children, adolescents and young adults with testicular germ cell tumors require appropriate surgical care to insure excellent outcomes. This article presents the most critical elements, and their basis in evidence, for surgery in this population. Specifically, the importance of inguinal radical orchiectomy for malignant tumors, partial orchiectomy for prepubertal tumors and normal serum tumor markers, and the appropriate use of post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in those with residual retroperitoneal masses.

Prevalence and Management of Incidental Testicular Masses-A Systematic Review

Management of incidentally diagnosed small testicular masses (STM) is controversial. Although there is the risk of malignancy, it might be realistic to safely seek preservation of testicles bearing benign masses. This study aims to systematically evaluate the evidence regarding prevalence of STMs, their benign or malignant histology and their management. We conducted a systematic literature search for studies reporting small or incidental testicular masses and their management by radical orchiectomy, testis sparing surgery (TSS) or ultrasound (US) surveillance. We initially screened 2126 abstracts and from these, 57 studies met the inclusion criteria. Testicular masses were detected in 1.74% of patients undergoing US examination. Regarding STMs removed by surgery, 41.12% were benign. Intraoperative frozen section examination (FSE) is a reliable tool to discriminate between benign and malignant testicular masses (average 93.05% accuracy), supporting TSS. Benign lesions were associated with smaller diameter (<1 cm 68.78% benign), were often hypoechoic and exhibited regular margins on US. Conclusions: Small testicular masses are often benign. Clinical and US patterns are not accurate enough for including patients in surveillance protocols and TSS paired with FSE is pivotal for precluding the removal of testicles bearing benign lesions. Future research might unveil new imaging tools or biomarkers to support clinical management.

Oncological and functional outcomes after testis-sparing surgery in patients with germ cell tumors: a systematic review of 285 cases

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

In several urogenital cancers, organ-preserving surgery represents the preferred treatment approach, but in patients with testicular germ cell tumors (tGCTs), radical orchiectomy represents the standard of care. This study aimed to summarize published case series assessing oncological and functional outcomes after testis-sparing surgery (TSS) in patients with tGCTs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature review and individual patient data meta-analysis were conducted of published cases with tGCT treated with TSS.

RESULTS

Of 2,333 reports, we included 32 reports providing data on 285 patients, including 306 testicles treated with TSS. Adjacent germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS) was described in 43%. Hypogonadism and infertility after TSS were diagnosed in 27% and 18%. In patients undergoing adjuvant testicular radiotherapy, hypogonadism was diagnosed in 40%. Patients treated with adjuvant testicular radiotherapy after TSS exhibited a significantly lower incidence of local recurrence (2% vs. 50%, p < 0.001). Distant metastases after TSS were observed in 2%.

CONCLUSION

The current data questions the benefits of TSS in tGCT patients. If at all, TSS should only be offered to well-informed patients with a singular testicle, excellent compliance, a singular tumor less than 2 cm located at the lower pole of the testicle, and normal preoperative endocrine function. Unless patients plan to father a child within a short time frame, adjuvant testicular radiotherapy should be recommended after TSS. Radical orchiectomy remains the standard of care, but future studies may support the use of TSS in selected men.

Outcomes of organ-sparing surgery for adult testicular tumors: A systematic review of the literature

Objective

To perform a systematic review on the effects of testicular sparing surgery (TSS) on the oncological, functional, and hormonal outcomes of adults with testicular tumors.

Methods

A literature search was performed after PROSPERO registration (CRD42020200842) and reported in compliance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methods. We conducted a systematic search of Medline (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO/ICTRP from inception to November 20, 2020. Manuscripts and published abstracts were included if they involved testis-sparing surgery (TSS) and contained data on any outcomes related to fertility, hormonal parameters, or oncological control, or if they evaluated surgical technique.

Results

Our initial search yielded 3,370 manuscripts, with 269 of these screened for full-text eligibility. After our exclusion criteria were applied, 32 studies were included in the final analysis. Oncological outcomes were obtained from 12 studies (average follow-up 57.8 months), functional data from 26 studies (average follow-up 49.6 months), fertility information from 10 studies (average follow-up 55.8 months), and data on nonpalpable tumors from 11 studies (average follow-up 32.1 months). Oncological control appears to be excellent in studies that reported these outcomes. Presence of germ cell neoplasia in situ was controlled with adjuvant radiation in nearly all cases. Functional outcomes are also promising, as development of primary and compensated hypogonadism was rare. Semen parameters are poor preoperatively among men with benign and malignant testis tumors, with occasional decline after TSS. Frozen section analysis at the time of surgery appears to be very reliable, and the majority of nonpalpable tumors appear to be benign.

Conclusions

TSS is a safe and efficacious technique with regards to oncological control and postoperative hormonal function based on retrospective, noncontrolled studies. TSS avoids unnecessary removal of benign testicular tissue, and should be given serious consideration in cases of nonpalpable, small tumors under 2 cm. In cases of malignancy, TSS can safely avoid anorchia in men with bilateral tumors and in men with solitary testicles. The use of the operating microscope, while theoretically promising, does not necessarily lead to better outcomes, however data are limited.

Oncological and functional outcomes of testis sparing surgery in small testicular mass: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of testicular tumor is constantly increasing, with an estimated incidence rate of about 3-10 new cases per 100,000 males/per year. Radical orchiectomy or testis sparing surgery (TSS) are recognized therapeutic approaches in these cases. However, the risk for hypogonadism and infertility is higher with the former compared with the latter. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the oncological outcome and testicular function (endocrine and reproductive aspects) in patients who had undergone TSS for small testicular lesions.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

To accomplish this, 684 articles were retrieved and screened; 24 retrospective and two prospective studies were selected and finally included in this systematic review.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Overall the TSS attempts were 1096 but TSS was definitively performed in 603 cases (55%). Frozen section examination was performed in 996 TSS attempts (22 out of the 26 studies selected) and showed a benign histology in 37-100% of cases, a malignant histology in 0-63%, and an inconclusive result in 0-16%, respectively. Five studies reported that a total of 22 patients were able to father after conservative surgery. None of these studies reported cases of hypotestosteronemia after surgery and a low prevalence (1.66%) of complications was associated with this type of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, TSS showed to be safe and practicable if used according to the specific guidelines. It can be safely performed to treat recurrence eventually associated to local adjuvant radiotherapy when an intra-tubular neoplasia is present. Urologists can therefore consider TSS as an important means against testicular tumor in selected and well-informed patients.

Zero-ischemia testis-sparing surgery for probably benign pediatric testicular tumors

Permanent ischemia-induced testicular damage may occur as early as 30 min in prepupertal rats. With the goal of potentially enhancing testicular function and fertility preservation, we performed testis-sparing surgery (TSS) without ischemia for testicular lesions in select children with negative markers and high likelihood of benignity on ultrasonography. Preliminary experience suggests that off-clamp TSS should be more liberally encouraged, especially in infants and prepubertal children, given their particularly vulnerable spermatic cord elements.

Radical inguinal orchidectomy: the gold standard for initial management of testicular cancer

Radical inguinal orchidectomy with division of the spermatic cord at the internal inguinal ring is the gold standard for diagnosis and local treatment of testicular malignancies. The technique is well established and described in detail in this paper, collating methods from various surgical textbooks and articles. We also discuss pre-operative considerations including fertility counselling and potential testicular prosthesis at time of orchidectomy, and the importance of contemplating differential diagnoses such as para-testicular sarcoma and primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) prior to performing radical orchidectomy (RO). The evidence and indications for new surgical techniques to treat local testicular malignancies are also described, including testis sparing surgery (TSS) and spermatic cord sparing orchidectomy.

Partial orchiectomy vs. radical orchiectomy for pediatric testis tumors

While radical orchiectomy remains the gold standard for testicular cancer, partial orchiectomy has become a well-accepted organ-sparing approach for benign testicular tumors in pre-pubertal patients. The aims of testicular-sparing surgery include prevention of over-treatment, preservation of future hormonal and reproductive function, and provision of a durable cure. For pre-pubertal patients, who have a high likelihood of benign lesions, partial orchiectomy provides effective treatment, owing to the high reliability of scrotal ultrasound (US) and intraoperative frozen section. In adolescent and young adult patients, who are more likely to harbor malignant pathology, the role of partial orchiectomy is less clear. Testis-sparing surgery is being reported with greater frequency in the adult literature for small testicular masses and for situations in which radical orchiectomy would result in an anorchia. More recently, a testis-sparing approach has also been described for carefully-selected post-pubertal pediatric patients. This review will highlight the role of partial orchiectomy in pediatric patients (<18 years old).

Organ-Sparing Surgery in Testicular Tumor: Is This the Right Approach for Lesions ≤ 20 mm?

Background: This study was conducted in order to analyze factors predicting malignancy in patients undergoing organ-sparing surgery (OSS) for small testicular lesions. Methods: Patients with small (≤20 mm) marker-negative clinical stage I testicular tumors were managed by OSS with tumor enucleation and frozen section examination (FSE) for the past 15 years at our institution. Benign and malignant cases were compared, focusing on preoperative and postoperative lesion sizes. Results: Eighty-nine patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Ten (11.2%) of them were treated for synchronous bilateral tumors. Sixty-seven (67.7%) of ninety-nine lesions were benign, confirming a high concordance rate (98%) between FSE and final histology. Patients with benign tumors were significantly older than patients with malignant tumors (p = 0.026), and benign tumors were detected more frequently during urologic work-up of hormone disorders (p = 0.001). Preoperative tumor size was a strong predictor of malignancy (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.726; p < 0.001). According to the Youden index, the best cutoff to predict tumor dignity was 13.5 mm, resulting in a sensitivity and specificity of 53% and 85%, respectively. No cases of local recurrence or distant metastasis were confirmed after a median follow-up of 42 months. Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with previous reports, supporting an OSS approach in small testicular tumors whenever possible. Most tumors ≤ 20 mm were benign, and in the case of malignancy, OSS with FSE and consecutive orchiectomy is oncologically safe due to the high concordance rate of FSE and final histology, thus preventing a two-stage procedure.

The role of partial orchidectomy in the management of small testicular tumours: Fertility and endocrine function

BACKGROUND

Radical orchidectomy in patients who are subsequently diagnosed with benign testicular tumours represents an overtreatment due to the deleterious effects on endogenous testosterone, fertility and body image. For these reasons, the option of partial orchidectomy (PO) should be considered in certain groups of patients. Patients with bilateral tumours (synchronous or metachronous) or a solitary testis where the lesion is no greater than 30% of the volume of the testis could be considered for a PO. Evidence has shown that PO is effective for small testicular masses with excellent survival and recurrence rates.

OBJECTIVES

Highlight the feasibility of maintaining post-operative fertility or normal semen parameters and endocrine function following PO.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data for this review were obtained through a search of the PubMed database. Papers were required to be in English and focus on adult human males.

RESULTS

Eligible and relevant papers were assessed for data regarding fertility, semen parameters and endocrine function following PO for a small testicular mass (STM).

CONCLUSION

It is possible to preserve both fertility and endocrine function after PO. Although patients may still require adjuvant radiotherapy for concomitant intratubular germ cell neoplasia (ITGCN) which results in subfertility, endocrine function is still conserved. However, it is possible to postpone radiotherapy and continue with clinical surveillance for the purposes of fertility preservation.

Testis-sparing surgery and scrotal violation for testicular masses suspicious for malignancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Radical inguinal orchiectomy is the standard of care for men diagnosed with a testicular mass suspicious for germ cell tumor (TGCT). Nontraditional approaches to management, including testis-sparing surgery (TSS) and scrotal orchiectomy, occur in clinical practice. We systematically reviewed studies evaluating outcomes after TSS and scrotal violation for the management of a suspected TGCT. We used PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (January 1980-December 2018) to search for studies addressing morbidity and oncologic outcomes after TSS or scrotal violation for testicular masses concerning for TGCT. Paired reviewers independently screened abstracts for inclusion, sequentially extracted data, and assessed study quality. Twenty-one studies were included (10 TSS, 11 scrotal violation). Risk of local recurrence after TSS on meta-analysis was 7.5% after 3 to 5 years (absolute proportion reported in studies: 10.9%). Aggregated rates of positive margins (1.4%) and testicular atrophy (2.8%) across studies were low with 7.1% of patients requiring subsequent androgen therapy. Scrotal violation led to a higher aggregate risk of local recurrence compared to no scrotal violation (2.5% vs. 0.0%, P < 0.001) but did not appear to impact subsequent metastasis and survival in the short term (3-5 years). Most patients received adjuvant therapy after scrotal violation with 9.3% found to harbor residual primary tumor after scrotal scar excision. TSS carries a quantifiable risk of local recurrence after 3 to 5 years despite the majority receiving adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy. Scrotal violation carries a risk of local recurrence but does not appear to impact subsequent metastasis and survival in the short term.

Management of Primary Testicular Tumor

In any man with a solid testicular mass, cancer should be considered until proven otherwise. Radical inguinal orchiectomy is the treatment of choice in patients with testis mass. Placement of a testicular prosthesis is safe with a very low complication rate and should be offered to all patients undergoing radical orchiectomy. In patients with widespread or life-threatening advanced disease, delayed orchiectomy following chemotherapy is recommended. Testis-sparing surgery can be performed in highly selected patients with solitary testicle mass, bilateral testicular tumors, or strong suspicion of a benign lesion.

The role of testis-sparing surgery in children and adolescents with testicular tumors

Organ-sparing approaches have been applied to the treatment of a variety of urologic tumors in both the realms of adult and pediatric urology, with the goals of minimizing overtreatment of benign lesions, preserving function, and providing durable cure. The predominance of benign tumors in prepubertal patients and the reliability of both ultrasound and intraoperative frozen sections have resulted in a marked shift toward testis-sparing approaches over the last few decades. The role of testis sparing in the adolescent population is presently unclear, although there have been increasing reports of successful organ-sparing surgery for testis tumors in the adult literature. This review presents recent trends in testis-sparing approaches for both pediatric and adolescent patients, the operative technique, and some of the controversies related to testis-sparing surgery.