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20 - Testis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2009

By
Jim Barber  and
John Staffurth
Edited by
Louise Hanna ,
Tom Crosby  and
Fergus Macbeth
Jim Barber
Affiliation:
Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
John Staffurth
Affiliation:
Clinical Senior Lecturer, Oncology, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
Louise Hanna
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
Tom Crosby
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
Fergus Macbeth
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
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Summary

Introduction

The treatment of testicular cancer is a success story for oncology, with high cure rates even for patients with advanced metastatic disease. The management has changed little over the past 20 years, there is a high degree of consensus about treatment, and standard protocols are well developed. Nonetheless, patients with testicular cancer are best managed by specialised multidisciplinary teams.

Range of cancers

The range of testicular cancers is shown in Table 20.1.

Germ cell tumours

Incidence and epidemiology

The annual incidence of germ cell tumours in the UK is approximately 800 cases. Germ cell tumours are the most common malignant tumours that occur in men between the ages of 25 and 35; there is a second peak between the ages of 55 to 65 years. The reason for the rapid rise in incidence in the Western world is not known. Theories range from the impact of environmental oestrogens, related to oral contraceptive use, to the increased scrotal temperatures resulting from the use of disposable diapers in infancy.

Risk factors and aetiology

Both genetic and epigenetic factors probably affect the development of testicular cancer. There is certainly a genetic component, with around 2% of cases reporting an affected first-degree relative, and a ten-fold increased relative risk in a brother of an affected relative. However, a range of conditions associated with subnormal testicular development, such as testicular maldescent, Klinefelter's syndrome, Down's syndrome and subfertility, are also associated with a higher risk of cancer.

Type
Chapter
Information
Practical Clinical Oncology , pp. 240 - 251
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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References

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  • Testis
    • By Jim Barber, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, John Staffurth, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Oncology, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.021
Available formats
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Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Testis
    • By Jim Barber, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, John Staffurth, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Oncology, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.021
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Testis
    • By Jim Barber, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, John Staffurth, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Oncology, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.021
Available formats
×