Synchronous bilateral testis cancer: clinical and oncological management

Abstract

Synchronous bilateral testis cancer (SBTC) is a rare event. It represents only 0.5-1% of all new cases of testicular cancer. Patients with this disease require careful management for psychological, oncological, and medical problems. We performed a PubMed search for all series that reported SBTC. We considered only articles in English, reporting on more than three cases. We also performed an analysis of the reported evidence regarding testosterone replacement and surgical treatment. We found 10 studies satisfying inclusion criteria for a total of 73 patients. The majority are bilateral seminoma, which present with a low stage at diagnosis, and mixed histology tumours, both with a good overall survival. On the other hand, cases with bilateral non-seminoma histology are associated with poor prognosis and high stage at presentation. Testis-sparing surgery should be an eligible choice in selected cases, to preserve fertility and avoid testosterone deficiency. Multiple biopsies are recommended in these patients, and in the case of intratubular germ cell neoplasia (ITGCN) presence, scrotal radiotherapy is mandatory. Subcutaneous testosterone pellets guarantee higher patient acceptance and physiological testosterone levels. Lifelong follow-up and psychological support, with special care for infertility and erectile dysfunction, must be considered in this cohort of patients.

Keywords: androgen substitution; quality of life; survival; synchronous bilateral testicular tumour; treatment.