title: Characteristics of Incident Testicular Cancer in Lebanon - 1990-2015 Single Institutional Experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the fact that testicular cancer is a major health issue with its increasing incidence, very few studies have described its characteristics in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report in this paper a retrospective pilot study of the characteristics of testicular cancer in Lebanon. The demographic, epidemiologic and survival characteristics of 178 patients diagnosed between 1990 and 2015 at an oncology clinic affiliated to Hotel Dieu de France Hospital were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at diagnosis was 32 ±10 years. The most prevalent testicular tumor was the germ cell type (GCT) (95.2%) of which non-seminomatous tumors (NST) were the commonest (64.7%). Most of our patients were diagnosed at an early stage. Lymph node spread affected most commonly the retroperitoneal region and distant visceral metastases occurred in 14.6%. All patients underwent orchiectomy with 67% receiving adjuvant treatment, mainly chemotherapy. After a median follow up of 2,248 days (75.9 months) 16 patients were reported dead. Two, five and ten-year overall survival rates were 96%, 94% and 89% respectively. The median overall survival rate was not reached.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite being part of the developing world, demographic, epidemiologic and survival analyses of testicular cancer reported in our study are in line with those reported from developed countries and would allow us to extrapolate management plans from these populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology- Oncology, Hotel Dieu de France University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon E-mail : tarekassi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Assi
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.forename: Elie El
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Rassy
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jabbour
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chahine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018239:Seminoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult