Delayed diagnosis in an adolescent with a malignant testicular tumour.
Feelings of embarrassment and fear in adolescents may contribute substantially to a delay in the diagnosis of malignant tumours arising from the genital region, with subsequent increase in morbidity and mortality. A case of a 15-year-old boy who had multiple visits to physicians with complaints of recurrent lower abdominal and back pain is presented in the current case report. He refused examination of his genital area during all visits, stating that there were no problems. The patient was admitted to the hospital with a working diagnosis of lymphoma after finding an abdominal mass and a neck mass. During bone marrow aspiration, while the patient was sedated, a large testicular mass was discovered. Each time the patient had been examined, he refused a genital examination and denied any change in the genital region.
Roushdi
Amani
A
Division of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario.
Bassal
Mylène
M
Johnston
Donna L
DL