title: A pathologist's view on the testis biopsy.
abstract: Aspects of the biopsy of the testis from the pathologist's point of view are discussed. Direct enzyme-histochemical staining for alkaline phosphatase (dAP) on frozen sections of biopsies taken during operation is a useful diagnostic tool to aid surgeons in testis-sparing surgery. Biopsy of the contralateral testis for the diagnosis of carcinoma in situ (CIS) in patients with a testicular germ cell tumour is not standard of care in most countries because of the high rate of negative biopsies. Based on risk factors for germ cell tumours, i.p. microlithiasis, a patient population is defined in which the rate of CIS in the contralateral biopsy is about 25%. It is reiterated that the diagnosis of CIS in testicular biopsies requires expertise, and should not be carried out without immunohistochemistry for markers for CIS. As OCT3/4 is increasingly used as marker, it is important to be aware that it may be false-negative in biopsies fixed in Bouin's or Stieve's fixative. Preliminary results are presented on a series of biopsies from cryptorchid testes in infants and children allowing the definition of morphological and immunohistochemical criteria for delayed maturation of gonocytes and pre-CIS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Oosterhuis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stoop
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dohle
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boellaard
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Casteren
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wolffenbuttel
authors.forename: L H J
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Looijenga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor