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

Opioid prescription following radical orchiectomy associated with new persistent opioid use

INTRODUCTION

Opioid dependence represents a public health crisis and can be observed after outpatient urologic procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of persistent opioid usage after radical orchiectomy for testicular cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The TriNetX Research network database was queried for men between 15 and 45 years undergoing radical orchiectomy for a diagnosis of testicular cancer. All patients with N+ or M+ disease, prior opioid use, and patients who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or retroperitoneal lymph node dissection were excluded. Patients were stratified whether they were prescribed opioids or not at time of orchiectomy. The incidence of new, persistent opioid use, defined as a prescription for opioids between 3 and 15 months after orchiectomy, was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 2,911 men underwent radical orchiectomy for testicular cancer, of which 89.8% were prescribed opioids at time of orchiectomy. After propensity score matching for age, race, and history of psychiatric diagnosis, 592 patients were included (296 received opioids, 296 did not). Overall, 0% of patients who did not receive postoperative opioids developed new persistent opioid use, whereas 10.5% of patients who received postoperative opioids developed new persistent opioid use. Patients prescribed postoperative opioids for orchiectomy had statistically higher risk difference of developing new persistent opioid use (Risk Difference: 10.5%; 95% CI: 7.0-14.0; Z: 5.7; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative opioid prescription following radical orchiectomy is significantly associated with developing new persistent opioid use, with 1 in 10 young men who received postoperative opioids obtaining a new prescription for opioids well beyond the postoperative period. Future efforts should emphasize nonopioid pathways for pain control following this generally minor procedure.

Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumour: a rare cause of an intrascrotal mass

This report describes a boy in his early adolescence who was referred to a urologist with a large, painless right scrotal mass. Following a thorough workup, the patient underwent surgical removal of the mass, which was revealed to be a paratesticular fibrous pseudotumour (PFP) on histopathological analysis. This diagnosis is rare and can often prove difficult to distinguish from a malignant lesion within the scrotum. We have conducted a review of the current literature surrounding PFP to compliment the case discussion.

Low-cord orchidectomy for testicular cancer: what would be different?

INTRODUCTION

High cord radical orchidectomy (HRCO) is accepted as the standard surgical approach in testicular cancer, however low cord orchidectomy (LCRO) can reduce the morbidity of operation without worsening the oncological outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively re-examined the specimens of men to determine the level of spermatic cord invasion (SCI). Men who had proximal SCI with negative surgical margins after HRCO were assumed to have de-novo residual tumour if LCRO was performed. Others were assumed as oncologically similar. We examined the relation between pre-operative variables and SCI and proximal SCI to determine whether prediction of proximal SCI is possible.

RESULTS

196 patients were included. 22 (11%) had SCI and ten (5%) had proximal SCI. Four patients with proximal SCI had positive surgical margins even after HRCO and didn't require additional local treatment. Six patients were assumed to have de-novo residual tumour if LCRO was performed. All six patients were metastatic and had systemic chemotherapy. High platelet count, tumour size, N stage, S stage and M stage were all significantly related with both SCI and proximal SCI (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Due to low probability of SCI, we think LCRO can safely be performed to reduce morbidity in Stage 1 patients. Although there is a risk for residual tumour in Stage 2-3 patients, currently there is no data that residual tumour would impair the success of systemic chemotherapy. Therefore we can not assume that these patients would be negatively affected. Pre-operative data can be useful to predict the presence of proximal SCI and select appropriate patients for LCRO.

SEOM-GG clinical guidelines for the management of germ-cell testicular cancer (2023)

Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common tumors in adolescent and young men. They are curable malignancies that should be treated with curative intent, minimizing acute and long-term side effects. Inguinal orchiectomy is the main diagnostic procedure, and is also curative for most localized tumors, while patients with unfavorable risk factors for recurrence, or those who are unable or unwilling to undergo close follow-up, may require adjuvant treatment. Patients with persistent markers after orchiectomy or advanced disease at diagnosis should be staged and classified according to the IGCCCG prognostic classification. BEP is the most recommended chemotherapy, but other schedules such as EP or VIP may be used to avoid bleomycin in some patients. Efforts should be made to avoid unnecessary delays and dose reductions wherever possible. Insufficient marker decline after each cycle is associated with poor prognosis. Management of residual masses after chemotherapy differs between patients with seminoma and non-seminoma tumors. Patients at high risk of relapse, those with refractory tumors, or those who relapse after chemotherapy should be managed by multidisciplinary teams in experienced centers. Salvage treatment for these patients includes conventional-dose chemotherapy (TIP) and/or high-dose chemotherapy, although the best regimen and strategy for each subgroup of patients is not yet well established. In late recurrences, early complete surgical resection should be performed when feasible. Given the high cure rate of TGCT, oncologists should work with patients to prevent and identify potential long-term side effects of the treatment. The above recommendations also apply to extragonadal retroperitoneal and mediastinal tumors.

Tips and Tricks: Evolution of Orchidectomy

Radical orchidectomy has been the standard surgery for testicular tumours. While a straightforward routine surgery, there are several finer points in the surgical technique and perioperative care that urologists should be familiar with. This mini-review discusses modifications to the conventional surgical approach such as organ-sparing surgery and the subinguinal approach, and practice points regarding prostheses and sperm banking that are pertinent to early management of a patient with a testicular tumour. PATIENT SUMMARY: We reviewed the evidence for surgical removal of a testicle for testicular cancer. There are a number of different techniques to minimise the extent of surgery. Surgeons should also discuss sperm banking and options for a testicular prosthesis with their patients.

Testicular lymphoma: Atypical presentation of acute scrotal swelling

INTRODUCTION

Primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) rarely presents as acute scrotal swelling. It is a very aggressive form of extra nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It accounts for less than 9 % of all testicular tumours. There are limited data characterizing this entity and this case report aim to add to existing literature.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 40-year-old patient, with a history of a pulmonary tuberculosis declared cured, presented a scrotal swelling that set rapidly in less than a week evolving in a context of weight loss and fever. The clinical examination was tender and hard on palpation while ultrasound revealed a suspicious oval formation not taking colour in Doppler. The patient underwent a right inguinal orchidectomy due to suspicious clinical presentation.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

MHNL are very rare causes of acute scrotal swelling representing approximately 1 %. It's an aggressive tumour and remains rare in young men. Diagnosis is purely histological. Standard treatment includes orchidectomy, chemotherapy with a poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

PTL can reoccur years after complete remission. It's related to an expression of diffuse lymphomatosis suggesting an aggressive approach. Its management is multidisciplinary based on the tumour's stage according to Ann Arbor classification.

A Rare Case of Ipsilateral Scrotal Recurrence of Testicular Cancer After Radical Orchidectomy

A lump in the testicle, painful or painless, could represent testicular cancer. Testicular cancer can be subdivided into germ-cell testicular cancer and sex cord-stromal tumors. A majority of testicular neoplasms are germ cell tumors (GCTs). GCTs are broadly divided into seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs) due to differences in natural history and treatment. Removal of the testis, also known as a radical orchidectomy, is often offered as part of the treatment for testicular cancer, which may be followed by additional medical treatment. It is not very common to have a recurrence of testicular cancer in the scrotum after a radical orchidectomy, and it is even rare to find this scrotal recurrence on the same side. An extensive literature review showed only one recorded case of scrotal recurrence of NSGCTs after orchidectomy but on the contralateral side. Here, we report the first case of scrotal recurrence of NSGCT after radical inguinal orchidectomy on the same side in a man who had orchidopexy in childhood. It is still unclear why testicular cancer could recur in the scrotum after a radical orchidectomy.

SAVE Testis-sparing score: a multicenter retrospective study of a novel predictive tool for quantifying testicular tumors

BACKGROUND

Testis-sparing surgery (TSS) is a safe treatment for patients with benign testicular tumors. Presently, assessments for evaluating the suitability of TSS are poorly standardized, partially because testicular anatomical elements cannot be quantitatively described.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors developed a scoring method known as the SAVE testis-sparing score based on four critical and accessible anatomical features of a testicular tumor. The SAVE score ranges from 0 to 8 and is divided into four risk classes ( low , medium , high , and extremely high ) to evaluate the feasibility of TSS, wherein low-risk indicates high feasibility and vice versa. This study included 444 testicular tumor patients from eight centers. Among them, 216 patients (model group: 151 patients, validation group: 65 patients) were included in the modeling analysis, and the other 228 patients from children's centers were included in the proportion analysis. Using retrospective data, patient characteristics associated with surgical methods were identified. Furthermore, a multivariate logistic regression model was built quantify the associations between these characteristics and the surgery method. The receiver operator characteristic curve was used to evaluate the classification efficiency of SAVE.

RESULTS

The SAVE testis-sparing score includes size (tumor size as maximal diameter), available testicular tissue volume, volume ratio of the tumor to the testis, and the exophytic / endophytic properties of the tumor. The SAVE scoring system accurately classified the suitability of TSS based on the complexity of benign testicular tumors.

CONCLUSION

The SAVE score is a reproducible and robust tool for quantitatively describing the anatomical characteristics of benign testicular tumors and guide the preoperative evaluation of TSS.

A Rare Case of Post-orchidectomy Arterial Injury With Rapidly Enlarging Scrotal Hematoma Treated With Coil Embolization

Testicular cancer is the most common solid tumor in young adult males. Radical inguinal orchidectomy is the gold standard for the diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer, which is confined to the scrotum and is generally well tolerated. An uncommon, but known, complication of radical orchidectomy is scrotal hematoma. Scrotal hematoma from radical orchidectomy is commonly self-limited and typically self-resolving. We present a rare case of metastatic testicular malignancy diagnosed with radical inguinal orchidectomy complicated by a rapidly enlarging scrotal hematoma, successfully treated with surgical evacuation and image-guided arterial embolization.

The Scrotal Excision of Paratesticular Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis: A Case Report

Mesotheliomas are malignancies which involve mesothelial cells, and are commonly found in the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and (rarely) the testis. We present a case of paratesticular mesothelioma that was excised without the testis. An elderly gentleman presented with a painless right scrotal mass, which appeared clinically benign and separable from the underlying testis. An ultrasound showed an extratesticular lesion adhered to the scrotal wall with a complex hydrocele. An excisional biopsy was conducted, and the Jaboulay procedure was performed on the right testis. Pathological examination revealed mesothelioma, showing focal invasion into the underlying stroma. A post-operative computed tomography (CT) scan evaluation manifested no local or distant metastasis. No further surgery was performed, and no chemotherapy or radiotherapy was offered to the patient. Subsequent clinical examinations and radiological scans carried out during each clinic follow-up for two years showed no new lesion or recurrence.