[Testicular germ cell tumours: descriptive study of 13 years of experience in the health care area of Badajoz]

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the incidence of germ cell testicular tumors in our Center, their characteristics and therapy results.

Methods: Retrospective study of 66 cases of germ cell testicular tumors diagnosed in the Health Area of Badajoz between 1993 and 2005.

Results: Mean age of the time of diagnosis was 32 years (range 16-80 years), presenting a younger age patients with non seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) (mean age 30 years). 86.5% of the patients did not have risk factors associated with the diagnosis of germ cell testicular tumor. Testicular mass was the most frequent symptom, and a higher proportion of tumors were located in the left testicle (51.5%). Non seminomatous germ cell tumors were the most frequent histological type (64.8%). Stage I (72%) was the most frequent stage in the group of seminomatous tumors, in comparison with 68.5% of non seminomatous tumors. Stages II-III appeared in 34.4% of the NSGCT and 28% of seminomatous, having worse prognosis. 92% of the patients received adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and curative surgery was the only treatment in the remainder 8%. Residual mass surgery was undertaken in five patients (stages IIa, IIc and IIIa). Eight of the 66 cases were lost for follow-up. Fifty-three of the 58 patients with follow-up are disease-free, 18 of them with more than five years of follow-up.

Conclusions: An increased incidence of germ cell testicular tumors have been verified over last years, mainly NSGCT Nevertheless, the diagnosis of advanced stages of the disease has diminished in favour of initial stages, which have a better prognosis for the patient. Oncologycal treatment protocols have high cure rates, although a long-term follow-up is needed due to the natural history of these tumors.