title: Lumbar pain in stage 1 testicular germ cell tumours: a symptom preceding radiological abnormality.
abstract: In a series of 114 stage 1 testicular tumour patients managed by a surveillance policy there have been 26 relapses. Three of these patients presented with lumbar pain as the first sign of relapse. All 3 were tumour marker non-producers and the onset of pain pre-dated radiological abnormality by up to 4 months. Stage 1 surveillance patients who develop lumbar pain must be considered to be at high risk of relapse to avoid delay in diagnosis which may prejudice survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Newlands
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rustin
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Begent
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bagshawe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013724:Teratoma / Q000556:secondary*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*