title: Inguinal canal tumors of adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review benign and malignant paratesticular lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A non-systematic review of the English literature in the National Library of Medicine Database (MEDLINE) was performed using the key words "spermatic cord", "inguinal canal", "neoplasms" (focusing on soft tissue sarcomas). The 74 most significant contributions were selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although generally benign (lipoma is the most frequent), paratesticular tumors have a high incidence of malignancy (30%). Ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging represent the main tools in the evaluation of a solid paratesticular mass. Most malignant tumors are sarcomas and commonly spread via local invasion to adjacent structures. The definitive diagnosis is made postoperatively. Surgical excision in the form of radical orchiectomy and wide local resection of tumor margins is mandatory and represents the mainstay of treatment options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical treatment of paratesticular tumors is fundamental in order to determine the histology so as to define the correct follow-up for each patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Bologna- S Orsola Malpighi Hospital, 9 Palagi Street, 40138 Bologna, Italy. vagno07@libero.it
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vagnoni
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunocilla
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiavina
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borghesi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passaretti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martorana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004822:Epididymis; D005834:Genital Neoplasms, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007264:Inguinal Canal; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008067:Lipoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013085:Spermatic Cord; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Inguinal canal; paratesticular; review; sarcoma; spermatic cord