Management of
Testicular Tumours
Dr.Sunil Shroff, MS, FRCS (UK ), D.Urol (Lond.)
Prof & HOD SriRamachandra Medical College & Research
Institution, Chennai
TESTICULAR TUMOUR
•1% of all Malignant Tumour
•Affects young adults - 20 to 40 yrs - when
Testosterone Fluctuations are maximum
•90% to 95% of all Testicular tumours from
germ cells
•99% of all Testicular Tumours are
malignant.
•Causes Psychological & Fertility Problems in
young
Survival in Testicular Tumours
Improved overall survival in last 15 to 20
years due to -
Better understanding of Natural History
and Pathogenesis of disease
Reliable Tumour Markers
Cis-platinum based chemotherapy
CROSS SECTION OF TESTIS
Testis
Stroma Seminiferous Tubules
(200 to 350 tubules)
Interstitial Cells Supporting
Spermatogonia
Leydig or
(Androgen) Sertoli Cell
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Incidence : 1.2 per 100,000 (Bombay)
3.7 per 100,000 (USA)
Age : 3 Peaks
- 20-40 yrs. Maximum
- 0 - 10 yrs.
- After - 60 yrs.
Bilaterality : 2 to 3% Testicular Tumour
I. PRIMARY NEOPLASMS OF TESTIS
B.Nongerminal Neoplasms : ( 5 to 10% )
1.Specialized gonadal stromal tumor
(a)Leydig cell tumor
(b)Other gonadal stromal tumor
2.Gonadoblastoma
3.Miscellaneous Neoplasms
(a)Adenocarcinoma of the rete testis
(b)Mesenchymal neoplasms
(c)Carcinoid
(d)Adrenal rest “tumor”
A.Adenomatoid
B.Cystadenoma of Epididymis
C.Mesenchymal Neoplasms
D.Mesothelioma
E.Metastases
II. SECONDARY NEOPLASMS OF TESTIS
A.Reticuloendothelial Neoplasms
B.Metastases
III.PARATESTICULAR NEOPLASMS
AETIOLOGY OF TESTICULAR TUMOUR
1.Cryptorchidism
2.Carcinoma in situ
3.Trauma
4.Atrophy
CRYPTORCHIDISM & TESTICULAR TUMOUR
Risk of Carcinoma
developing in
undescended testis is
14 to 48 times the
normal expected
incidence
CRYPTORCHIDISM & TESTICULAR TUMOUR
The cause for malignancy are as follows:
Abnormal Germ Cell Morphology
Elevated temperature in abdomen &
Inguinal region as opposed to scrotum
Endocrinal disturbances
Gonadal dysgenesis
Testicular Tumour & Molecular Biology
Molecular & Genetic Research
may help Future patient with
Testicular Tumours:
• Earlier diagnosis
• Identify Susceptible
Individuals
Testicular Tumour & Molecular Biology
(Recent Advances)
Testicular germ cell tumour show
consistent expression of both:
Parental alleles of H19
IGF-2 genes.
Clinical Staging of Testicular Tumour
Staging A or I- Tumour confined to testis.
Staging B or II- Spread to Regional nodes.
IIA - Nodes <2 cm in size or < 6 Positive Nodes
IIB - 2 to 5 cm in size or > 6 Positive Nodes
IIC - Large, Bulky, abd.mass usually > 5 to 10 cm
Staging C or III- Spread beyond retroperitoneal
Nodes or Above Diaphragm or visceral disease
To properly Stage Testicular Tumours following
are pre-requisites:
(a)Pathology of Tumour Specimen
(b)History
(c)Clinical Examination
(d)Radiological procedure - USG / CT /
MRI / Bone Scan
(e)Tumour Markers - HCG, AFP
Requirements for staging
TNM Staging of Testicular Tumour
T
0 = No evidence of Tumour
T
1s
= Intratubular, pre invasive
T
1
= Confined to Testis
T
2
= Invades beyond Tunica Albuginea
or into Epididymis
T
3
= Invades Spermatic Cord
T
4 = Invades Scrotum
N
1
= Single < 2 cm
N
2 = Multiple < 5 cm / Single 2-5 cm
N
3
= Any node > 5 cm
Epididymis or Scrotal skin – Lymph drainage to Inguinal Nodes
Pathogenesis & Natural History of
Testicular Tumour
• Course of Spread of Germ Cell Tumours are
predictible once Histology of Tumour
cofirmed
• Lymphatic Spread has a set pattern
depending on side of Tumour
• Seminoma may have non-seminomatous
metastasis
• High Grade Tumours spread by both
Vascular invasion & via Lymphatics
Investigation
1.Ultrasound - Hypoechoic area
2.Chest X-Ray - PA and lateral views
3.CT Scan
4.Tumour Markers
- AFP
- HCG
- LDH
- PLAP
CLINICAL FEATURES
Painless Swelling of One Gonad
Dull Ache or Heaviness in Lower Abdomen
10% - Acute Scrotal Pain
10% - Present with Metatstasis
- Neck Mass / Cough / Anorexia /
Vomiting / Back Ache/ Lower limb swelling
5% - Gynecomastia
Rarely - Infertility
DICTUM FOR ANY SOLID SCROTAL SWELLINGS
All patients with a solid, Firm
Intratesticular Mass that cannot
be Transilluminated should be
regarded as Malignant unless
otherwise proved
AFP –( Alfafetoprotein )
NORMAL VALUE: Below 16 ngm / ml
HALF LIFE OF AFP – 5 and 7 days
Raised AFP :
Pure embryonal carcinoma
Teratocarcinoma
Yolk sac Tumour
Combined Tumour
REMEMBER: AFP Not raised is Pure Choriocarcinoma or Pure Seminoma
HCG – ( Human Chorionic Gonadotropin )
Has and polypeptide chain
NORMAL VALUE: < 1 ng / ml
HALF LIFE of HCG: 24 to 36 hours
RAISED HCG -
100 % - Choriocarcinoma
60% - Embryonal carcinoma
55% - Teratocarcinoma\
25% - Yolk Cell Tumour
7% - Seminomas
ROLE OF TUMOUR MARKERS
Helps in Diagnosis - 80 to 85% of Testicular
Tumours have Positive Markers
Most of Non-Seminomas have raised markers
Only 10 to 15% Non-Seminomas have normal
marker level
After Orchidectomy if Markers Elevated means
Residual Disease or Stage II or III Disease
Elevation of Markers after Lymphadenectomy
means a STAGE III Disease
ROLE OF TUMOUR MARKERS cont...
Degree of Marker Elevation Appears to be Directly
Proportional to Tumour Burden
Markers indicate Histology of Tumour:
If AFP elevated in Seminoma - Means Tumour has
Non-Seminomatous elements
Negative Tumour Markers becoming positive on
follow up usually indicates -
Recurrence of Tumour
Markers become Positive earlier than X-Ray studies
PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT
Treatment should be aimed at one stage
above the clinical stage
Seminomas - Radio-Sensitive. Treat with
Radiotherapy.
Non-Seminomas are Radio-Resistant and best
treated by Surgery
Advanced Disease or Metastasis - Responds
well to Chemotherapy
PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT
Radical INGUINAL ORCHIDECTOMY is
Standard first line of therapy
Lymphatic spread initially goes to
RETRO-PERITONEAL NODES
Early hematogenous spread RARE
Bulky Retroperitoneal Tumours or
Metastatic Tumors Initially “DOWN-
STAGED” with CHEMOTHERAPY
Treatment of Seminomas
Stage I, IIA, ?IIB –
Radical Inguinal Orichidectomy followed by
radiotherapy to Ipsilateral Retroperitonium &
Ipsilateral Iliac group Lymph nodes (2500-3500 rads)
Bulky stage II and III Seminomas -
Radical Inguinal Orchidectomy is followed by
Chemotherapy
Treatment of Non-Seminoma
Stage I and IIA:
RADICAL ORCHIDECTOMY
followed by RETROPERITONEAL LYMPH NODES
DISSECTION
Stage IIB:
RPLND with possible ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY
Stage IIC and Stage III Disease:
Initial CHEMOTHERAPY followed by SURGERY for
Residual Disease
Chemotherapy Toxicity
BEP -
Bleomycin Pulmonary fibrosis
Etoposide (VP-16) Myelosuppression
Alopecia
Renal insufficiency (mild)
Secondary leukemia
Cis-platin Renal insufficiency
Nausea, vomiting
Neuropathy
STANDARD CHEMOTHERAPY FOR
NON-SEMINOMATOUS GERM CELL TUMOURS
Left Right
Axial CT Section demonstarating - Left Hydronephrosis, due
to large Para-Aortic Nodal Mass from a Germ cell tumour
Limits of Lymph Nodes Dissection For Right &
Left Sided Testicular Tumours
THERAPY OF PATIENT WITH SEMINOMA
Stage I, IIA, ? IIBStage IIB, IIC, III
B - Bleomycin
Abdominal Radiotherapy E - Etoposide (VP-16) 4 cycles
P - cis-platin
Follow UpStable/Regress Relapse/Growth
F/U? RPLND
? Chemotherapy
? XRT
Therapy of Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Testicular Tumours
Radical Inguinal Orchidectomy
Stage I, II (minimum)
RPLND
Stage I, II B1 Stage II B2
Observe BEP 2 cycles
Bleomycin
Etoposide
Cis-platin
Radical Inguinal Orchidectomy
Stage II C (advanced) / III
BEP 4 cycles
Complete Response Partial Response Progress
Observe RPLNDVIP orAutologous
Bone marrow
Transplant
CancerTeratoma / Fibrosis
V-Vinblastine
I-Ifosfamide OBSERVE
P-cis-platin
Therapy of Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Testicular Tumours
PROGNOSIS
Seminoma Nonseminoma
Stage I99% 95% to 99%
Stage II 70% to 92%90%
Stage III 80% to 85%70% to 80%
CONCLUSION
Improved Overall Survival of Testicular
Tumour due to Better Understanding
of the Disease, Tumour Markers and
Cis-platinum based Chemotherapy
Current Emphasis is on Diminishing
overall Morbidity of Various Treatment
Modalities