Testicular tumors.Epidemiologic, etiologic, and pathologic features

TLDR

Testicular tumors exhibit distinct geographic, racial, and age patterns, are predominantly germ cell tumors with four main histologic types, and are influenced by factors such as cryptorchidism, trauma, infections, genetics, and endocrine factors, while specialized stromal tumors and malignant lymphoma also occur. Among 6,000 tumors, testicular cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in 15–34‑year‑olds, and 40 % of cases show mixed cell‑type histology.

Abstract

Observations on 6,000 testicular tumors revealed the following: Testicular tumors constitute the fourth most common cause of deaths from neoplasia in the age group of 15–34 years of age. There is a definite geographic, racial, and age distribution. The cause of testicular tumors is unknown, but cryptorchidism, trauma, infections, and genetic and endocrine factors appear to play a role in their development. Germ cell tumors comprise the large majority of testicular tumors and present one or more of 4 bask histologic patterns: seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and teratoma. In 40% the tumors show admixtures of 2 or more of these basic cell types. Tumors of specialized gonadal stroma constitute about 6% of testicular tumors and consist of Leydig cell, Sertoli cell, and granulosa-theca cell tumors, or admixtures of these. The most important metastatic tumor of the testes is malignant lymphoma, initially manifested as testicular tumor.