A lesson in the management of testicular cancer in a patient with a solitary testis

Management of incidental impalpable intratesticular masses of ≤ 5 mm in diameter

OBJECTIVE

To gain more insight into the histology of small incidental intratesticular lesions and evaluate the need for surgical management, as exploratory surgery is the only way to exclude malignancy in testicular tumours.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between September 2000 and April 2005, incidental intratesticular masses of < or = 5 mm in diameter were found in 20 men undergoing scrotal ultrasonography for reasons other than suspected testicular tumour. After staging, an organ-sparing approach including frozen-section analysis was used to obtain histological data.

RESULTS

The mean diameter of the detected tumour masses was 3.5 mm, and the mean (range) age of the patients was 36.4 (26-58) years. Four men (20%) had orchidectomy because the tumours were found to be malignant; the resected specimens yielded multifocal testicular intraepithelial neoplasia (TIN) in all patients and additional seminomatous tumour cells elsewhere in the testis in one. Frozen-section results were false-negative in one patient and he had orchidectomy after having established the definitive histological diagnosis. The 16 patients with benign lesions were correctly diagnosed and their testicles were not removed.

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced and innovative ultrasonography technology allows the detection of increasingly small testicular masses. In the present series, most incidental intratesticular lesions were benign. In patients with malignant lesions, multifocal TIN and/or distant seminomatous foci were present despite the tumour being small. Therefore, it is essential to perform exploratory surgery as it is the only way to obtain accurate histological findings, thus providing oncological efficacy and precluding removal of a testicle bearing a benign lesion.

Bilateral germ-cell tumours: 22-year experience at the Institut Gustave Roussy

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, clinical and histological characteristics, treatment and long-term follow-up of bilateral germ-cell tumours (BGCT) of the testis in order to determine in what respects they differ significantly from unilateral germ-cell tumours. In all, 31 patients with BGCT had metachronous tumours and 14 had synchronous tumours. Among the metachronous tumours, 61% occurred more than 5 years after the first tumour. The overall incidence of BGCT in patients with testicular germ-cell tumours (TGCT) was 1.9%. The incidence was 3.2% in patients presenting with a seminoma and 1.4 % in patients presenting with a nonseminomatous germ-cell tumour (NSGCT). Patients under 30 years of age at the time of the initial diagnosis had a higher incidence of bilateral tumours compared with older men. The outcome of BGCT was excellent. A high association was found between BGCT, sterility and suspected genetic risk factors for TGCT. These results argue against a systematic contralateral biopsy at diagnosis of first TGCT in all patients, but emphasise the importance of patient education and of the need to better identify patients at risk for a second TGCT. Therapeutic indications for synchronous BGCT, including conservative treatment, need to be better defined.

Frozen section analysis-guided organ-sparing approach in testicular tumors: technique, feasibility, and long-term results

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate retrospectively the indications, surgical technique, feasibility, and follow-up data of our frozen section analysis-guided organ-sparing approach to small testicular tumors. Removal of a solitary testis or bilateral orchiectomy for testicular neoplasm results in androgen deprivation and infertility. Moreover, removal of a testis for benign lesions is to be avoided. Organ-sparing surgery aims at preserving enough testicular parenchyma to maintain physiologic endocrine function and, if possible, fertility.

METHODS

Tumors of 25 mm or less in diameter were managed by an organ-sparing approach. Normal preoperative plasma levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone were a prerequisite. After localization of the tumor by ultrasonography and accurate staging, organ-sparing surgery was performed under cold ischemia. Frozen section analyses of the tumor and tumor bed biopsies were obtained. In the case of malignant germ cell tumor with a normal contralateral testis, ablation of the tumor-bearing testis was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 32 organ-preserving procedures were performed in 30 patients without any complications. Local recurrence was observed in 1 patient who refused to undergo local radiotherapy for concomitant testicular intraepithelial neoplasia; repeat organ-sparing surgery was performed in this patient. After organ-sparing surgery, ablation of the remaining testis was performed in 1 patient because of positive margins on final histologic analysis and in another patient because of endocrine insufficiency. In all other patients, the serum testosterone levels remained within normal limits. No retroperitoneal, pulmonary, or other recurrences were encountered; all patients were free of disease at a mean follow-up of 46.3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The organ-sparing frozen section analysis-guided approach to testicular masses represents a promising treatment alternative to orchiectomy in selected patients with bilateral malignant testicular tumors, tumors in a solitary testis, or unilateral or bilateral benign tumors. The technique is oncologically efficient, lifelong hormonal substitution can be prevented, and, in some patients, even fertility may be preserved, provided certain criteria concerning patient selection and surgical technique are observed.

Organ sparing surgery for malignant germ cell tumor of the testis

PURPOSE

We evaluate the indication, technique and long-term outcome of organ preserving tumor resection rather than standard orchiectomy in 73 patients with bilateral testicular germ cell tumors or tumors of a solitary testicle.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Tumor resection was performed in 73 patients with 52 and 17 metachronous and synchronous bilateral testicular germ cell tumors, respectively, and 4 testicular germ cell tumors of a solitary testicle. Histology of the enucleated germ cell tumor revealed seminoma in 42 (57.5%) patients, embryonal carcinoma in 14 (19.2%), mature teratoma in 11 (15.1%), and mixed and combined germ cell tumors in 6 (8.2%). Mean tumor diameter was 15 mm. (range 5 to 30). Associated testicular intraepithelial neoplasia was diagnosed in 82% of patients who underwent local radiation with 18 Gy.

RESULTS

After a median followup of 91 months (range 3 to 191) 72 (98.6%) patients had no evidence of disease and 1 died of systemic tumor progression. No local relapse occurred in 46 patients with associated testicular intraepithelial neoplasia treated with local radiation. However, local recurrence did develop in 4 patients after 3, 6, 12 and 165 months without radiation but all survived after undergoing inguinal orchiectomy. Testosterone levels were normal in 62 (84.9%) patients, hypogonadism developed in 7 (9.6%) and preoperative levels remained low in 4 (5.5%). Of the 10 patients who postponed local radiation for paternity reasons 5 had successfully fathered a child after organ sparing surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

After a long-term followup of greater than 7 years organ sparing surgery represents a viable therapeutic approach to bilateral testicular germ cell tumor with an excellent postoperative outcome. Tumor enucleation might be considered a standard approach if the guidelines are respected, including cold ischemia, organ confined tumor less than 20 mm., multiple biopsies of the tumor bed, adjuvant local irradiation postoperatively to avoid local recurrence, close followup and high compliance.

Testis Conservation in the Setting of Intratesticular Tumor

Treatment for a testicular tumor is commonly a radical orchiectomy. In men with only one functioning testis, this results in loss of fertility. This can be disheartening to the patient and surgeon when the tumor turns out to be benign. We present a case where intraoperative ultrasound was used to localize a benign intratesticular tumor, allowing for the remaining testicular tissue to be preserved.