title: Sarcoid-like granulomatosis and testicular germ cell tumor: the 'Great Imitator'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Only a few case reports and small case series of patients with sarcoidosis or sarcoid-like reaction and testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) have been reported in the literature. We performed a retrospective study of patients with testicular GCT managed at the Centre Léon-Bérard, who presented granulomatosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a computerized search to identify all male patients with both a diagnosis of sarcoidosis or granuloma and testicular tumors seen at the Centre Léon-Bérard between 1992 and 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 13 patients were identified among the 1,182 patients with testicular tumors. The median age at diagnosis of testicular GCT was 25.5 years. Six patients had stage I disease, 2 patients had stage IIb and 5 patients had stage III. Sarcoid-like granulomatosis was found in 9 patients at the time of initial diagnosis and in 4 patients during follow-up. Sarcoidosis presented mainly as pulmonary disease without severe organ involvement, with a benign evolution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We advise caution in the interpretation of clinical and histological findings in these patients. Sarcoid-like granulomatosis, a condition that can be combined with testicular cancer, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of metastatic testicular tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon-Bérard, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Wafaa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaikani
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chatte
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Roche
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Errihani
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Droz
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fléchon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015769:Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult