Carcinoid tumours of the testis

Abstract

Objective: To review previous reports of carcinoid (an endocrine tumour mostly of the gastrointestinal tract) tumours of the testis.

Methods: Carcinoid tumours of the testis are rare and can be divided into primary carcinoid (group 1), testicular metastasis from another location (group 2) and carcinoid within a testicular teratoma (group 3). A case of testicular carcinoid within our clinic prompted us to review previous reports; all the cases found were assessed for patient and tumour characteristics, diagnostic tools used, treatment and prognosis.

Results: In all, 62 cases were assessed and divided into groups 1 (44 patients), 2 (six) and 3 (12), respectively. Seven patients in group 1 developed metastases. A wide variety of diagnostic tools was used to search for other tumour sites. All patients were treated with orchidectomy. Three patients with a primary carcinoid were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy (two) or radiotherapy (one), with unknown results. All but one of the nine patients who died were known to have metastasis, either from a primary testicular carcinoid or testicular metastases from an intestinal carcinoid.

Conclusion: When a testicular carcinoid tumour is discovered, other tumour sites should be excluded. The most useful diagnostic tools for this purpose seem to be urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid measurement, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, computed tomography and video-capsule endoscopy. Localized testicular carcinoid tumours have an excellent prognosis after orchidectomy.