Testicular Tumours

Abstract

Testicular tumours account for 1–2% of pediatric solid tumours. Pediatric testis tumours are pathologically and clinically distinct from their adult counterparts, and these differences demand a different management algorithm. Nearly 90% of adult testis tumours are seminomas, embryonal carcinomas, or non-seminomatous mixed germ cell tumours, but such tumour types are extremely rare in prepubertal children. Conversely, the two most common prepubertal tumours—pure teratoma and pure yolk sac tumour—account for fewer than 1% each of adult tumours. Gonadal stromal tumours are relatively common in children but quite rare in adults. These differences in histologic subtype result in significant differences in natural history: metastases occur in 61% of adult patients but only 9% of children. The critical histologic changes appear to occur at puberty, so tumours occurring in postpubertal adolescent males are best managed under adult algorithms.