Metachronous gonadal and extragonadal primary germ cell tumors: two case reports.
Bilateral synchronous or metachronous germ cell tumors (GCT) of the testis are recognized in 2-3% of patients. Extragonadal GCT in the mediastinum or the retroperitoneum have been rarely reported in patients with primary GCT of the testes. Two patients were observed with two separate primary GCT; in 1 a retroperitoneal embryonal carcinoma was successfully treated with chemotherapy and surgery and a new primary developed 14 years later in the testicle as a seminoma. A second patient had a primary teratocarcinoma of the testes treated with surgery only; 4 years later he developed a mediastinal endodermal sinus tumor, which was fatal. These cases suggest that not only is the remaining testicle at risk for a second primary GCT, but also that extragonadal sites impose a similar risk and monitoring of patients should consider all potential sites for the development of GCT.
Cancer Center of Boston, Massachusetts 02120.
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Lokich
D000328:Adult; D018237:Germinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*