INTERSTITIAL CELL TUMORS OF THE TESTIS

Abstract

The interstitial cells of the testicle, which were first described by Leydig¹in 1850, may rarely give rise to tumors, some of which are accompanied with endocrine changes. These cells have been regarded generally as the primary source of androgen. The study of such tumors is of interest, therefore, and may contribute to the knowledge of the normal endocrine physiology of the testis. This paper is concerned primarily with a review of the hormonal manifestations described in the previously reported cases of interstitial cell tumor and a report of 3 new cases, in which the patients were adults, one of whom had gynecomastia. In addition, we have elaborated certain criteria for the recognition of these tumors. <h3>LITERATURE</h3> Several comprehensive reviews of the literature of interstitial cell neoplasia have been published recently, notably by Jemerin,²Fialho³and Warren and Olshausen.⁴However, these writers and others have disagreed