Risk factors in past histories and familial episodes related to development of testicular germ cell tumor.
BACKGROUND
A retrospective study was conducted to examine the host factors of 240 testicular germ cell tumor patients. This study was performed to address a new theory proposed by Skakkebaek called testicular dysgenesis syndrome which claims that cryptorchism, hypospadias, poor semen quality and testicular germ cell tumors are symptoms of an underlying testicular dysgenesis in uterus.


METHODS
The past health histories and familial episodes of 240 testicular germ cell tumor patients were examined. The past health histories included cryptorchism, hypospadias, infertility, atrophic testis and inguinal hernia.


RESULTS
Of the 240 patients, 13 (5.4%) had a history of cryptorchism or orchidopexy. Two (0.8%) showed existence of hypospadias or had experienced urethroplasty. Among 129 married couples, 104 (80.6%) couples were fertile. Three (1.3%) patients developed testicular tumors after they were diagnosed as infertile or came to the hospital with the complaints of infertility. Four (1.7%) had contralateral atrophic testis. 19 (7.9%) had experienced inguinal herniorrhaphy before age 15. Three (1.3%) had testicular germ cell tumor patients among their family or relatives.


CONCLUSIONS
The testicular germ cell tumor patients showed a considerable incidence of complications such as cryptorchism, hypospadias and incomplete closure of processus vaginalis. Cryptorchism, perinatal factors and familial factors could be risks for developing testicular germ cell tumors.
Kanto
Satoru
S
Department of Urology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
Hiramatsu
Masayoshi
M
Suzuki
Kenichi
K
Ishidoya
Shigeto
S
Saito
Hideo
H
Yamada
Shigeyuki
S
Satoh
Makoto
M
Saito
Seiichi
S
Fukuzaki
Atsushi
A
Arai
Yoichi
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications; D005192:Family Health; D018237:Germinoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology