Organ sparing surgery for malignant germ cell tumor of the testis.

PURPOSE: We evaluate the indication, technique and long-term outcome of organ preserving tumor resection rather than standard orchiectomy in 73 patients with bilateral testicular germ cell tumors or tumors of a solitary testicle.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor resection was performed in 73 patients with 52 and 17 metachronous and synchronous bilateral testicular germ cell tumors, respectively, and 4 testicular germ cell tumors of a solitary testicle. Histology of the enucleated germ cell tumor revealed seminoma in 42 (57.5%) patients, embryonal carcinoma in 14 (19.2%), mature teratoma in 11 (15.1%), and mixed and combined germ cell tumors in 6 (8.2%). Mean tumor diameter was 15 mm. (range 5 to 30). Associated testicular intraepithelial neoplasia was diagnosed in 82% of patients who underwent local radiation with 18 Gy.

RESULTS: After a median followup of 91 months (range 3 to 191) 72 (98.6%) patients had no evidence of disease and 1 died of systemic tumor progression. No local relapse occurred in 46 patients with associated testicular intraepithelial neoplasia treated with local radiation. However, local recurrence did develop in 4 patients after 3, 6, 12 and 165 months without radiation but all survived after undergoing inguinal orchiectomy. Testosterone levels were normal in 62 (84.9%) patients, hypogonadism developed in 7 (9.6%) and preoperative levels remained low in 4 (5.5%). Of the 10 patients who postponed local radiation for paternity reasons 5 had successfully fathered a child after organ sparing surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: After a long-term followup of greater than 7 years organ sparing surgery represents a viable therapeutic approach to bilateral testicular germ cell tumor with an excellent postoperative outcome. Tumor enucleation might be considered a standard approach if the guidelines are respected, including cold ischemia, organ confined tumor less than 20 mm., multiple biopsies of the tumor bed, adjuvant local irradiation postoperatively to avoid local recurrence, close followup and high compliance.