title: [Diagnosis of testicular cancer: review of 47 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To improve the diagnostic level of testicular cancer by a retrospective review of 47 cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The symptoms, signs, imaging studies, tumour markers and histological diagnoses of 47 cases were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mass in testes was palpated in all patients. As a useful tool in the diagnosis of testicular cancer, scrotal ultrasonography had a detecting sensitivity over 90%. Though sensitive to retroperitoneal lymph nodes, CT had a certain level of false positive rate. Tumor markers, especially AFP, were significantly useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of testicular cancer. Histological examination showed 27 cases of seminoma, 7 cases of embryonal carcinoma, 6 cases of teratoma, 3 cases of lymphoma, 1 case of spermatocytic seminoma and 1 case of sarcoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient self-examination is extremely helpful for an earlier diagnosis. Ultrasonography and CT are invaluable in the diagnosis and staging of testicular cancer. Playing key roles in the diagnosis and prognosis of testicular cancer, tumour markers should be routinely examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fudan University Affiliated Huashan Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zu-jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bing-Kun
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor