ATYPICAL PRESENTING SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH TESTICULAR GERM-CELL TUMORS

The cardinal syndrome of a testicular germ cell tumour is typically scrotal enlargement. The present paper compares the group of patients with typical scrotal presentation and those who present with atypical symptoms caused by metastases. Among 284 retrospectively studied patients, 34 (12%) presented with extrascrotal symptoms. The most important were abdominal pain (n=16) and pulmonary symptoms (n=10). The group of patients with extrascrotal symptoms was characterized by the following parameters: percentage of pure seminoma in 35% (versus 56% in the patients with typical presentation), elevation of alpha-fetoprotein in 47% (versus 27%), and elevation of beta-HCG in 61% (versus 29%). The outcome was letal in 35% of the patients with atypical presentation, as opposed to 6% of those with typical presentation. In 22 patients with extrascrotal presenting signs a palpable testicular mass was found on clinical examination. Occult testicular tumour proved to be present in 9 patients, and burned-out tumours in 3. Unawareness of testicular cancer is a significant factor in diagnostic delay. Scrotal palpation should be part of every clinical examination in younger male patients with cancer from an unknown primary.