Testicular tumors of germ cell origin

Abstract

Testicular tumors may be classified as seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratocarcinoma, teratoma, and choriocarcinoma. Staging is valuable to determine the extent and natural progression of disease, to select an appropriate treatment regimen, and to provide prognostic guidelines. Megavoltage irradiation to the retroperitoneal and ipsilateral pelvic node-bearing locations is the basis of treatment for patients with pure seminoma diagnosed by radical orchiectomy. Survival rates range from up to 100% for stage I to as low as 20% for stage III. Regional therapy is appropriate for management of nonseminomatous germinal malignancies. Prognosis depends somewhat on treatment, which consists of inguinal orchiectomy combined with either retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy or retroperitoneal radiation therapy alone, or with retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy plus either radiation therapy or chemotherapy.