title: Association between sarcoidosis and testicular carcinoma: a diagnostic pitfall.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic, non-caseous, benign granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that is sometimes associated with testicular cancer. This association, which does not appear to be accidental, can give rise to diagnostic problems because adenopathies or parenchymatous pulmonary nodules related to sarcoidosis can lead to the presumption of metastatic testicular cancer. The objective of this article was to assess the clinical, histological, and radiological characteristics of the association between sarcoidosis and testicular cancer to help clinicians avoid potentially fatal diagnostic traps and management errors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 64 cases of sarcoidosis concomitant with testicular cancer were described in the literature. In more than 50% of the cases (35/64), testicular cancer was diagnosed before sarcoidosis or sarcoid-like reaction. Cancer was diagnosed concomitantly in 31% of cases (20/64). Every anatomopathological type of testicular tumor was described in association with sarcoidosis. Seminoma was the most frequent tumor, occuring in 62% (40/64) of patients. In 80% of the cases (51/64) sarcoidosis regressed spontaneously.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testis cancer may be accompanied by a sarcoid-like reaction or can be associated with real sarcoidosis. The association of testicular cancer with sarcoidosis did not change the therapeutic management of either of these two pathologies. The presence of sarcoidosis does not change the cancer prognosis. Sarcoidosis is a benign disease that resolved favorably and spontaneously in 80% of the cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer center, New York City, New York, USA. paparelphilippe@aol.com
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paparel
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devonec
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruffion
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Decaussin-Petrucci
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akin
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheinfeld
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillonneau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018239:Seminoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*