Testicular Germ Cell Tumor and down Syndrome

Increased incidence of retroperitoneal teratomas and decreased incidence of sacrococcygeal teratomas in infants with Down syndrome

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a unique profile of neoplasms, with a higher incidence of leukemias and a lower incidence of solid tumors than seen in the general population. We recently encountered two cases of infants with DS with retroperitoneal teratoma. After reviewing the literature on teratomas in DS, we found that the incidence of retroperitoneal teratomas was higher and the incidence of sacrococcygeal teratomas was lower in infants with DS than in the general population.

Cancer incidence of persons with down syndrome in Finland: A population-based study

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a predisposition to leukaemia and testicular cancer, but data on the incidence of cancers are yet sparse. A cohort of 3,581 persons with DS was identified from a National Registry of Finnish persons with intellectual disability collected between 1978 and 1986 and followed-up for cancer incidence until 2002. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were defined as ratios of observed number of cancer cases to those expected from the national cancer incidence rates, by age and sex. The overall cancer risk was equal to that of the general population, but a significantly high risk of leukaemia (SIR 10.5, CI 95% 6.6-15.8) and testicular cancer (SIR4.8, CI 95% 1.8-10.4) was found.

Testicular tumor in Down syndrome

A 33-year-old male patient with Down syndrome, who stayed in a welfare institution, visited our hospital due to left testicular enlargement. He was diagnosed as having a left testicular tumor and underwent radical inguinal orchiectomy. Preoperatively, serum level of beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-HCG) increased to 0.9 ng/mL (normal range <0.2 ng/mL). For the last 2 years after orchiectomy, the serum level of beta-HCG remained normal. Histopathological examination of specimen revealed a typical seminoma. It is currently thought that risk of developing leukemia in patients with Down syndrome is 20- to 30-fold higher than that in normal subjects. Furthermore, the incidence of testicular cancer as a complication other than leukemia is expected to increase because of the increasing postpubertal population with Down syndrome.