[Testicular tumors in Italy: historical trends, geographic differences, and etiological hypotheses]

Testicular cancer is a rare tumour. Its incidence has been increasing in many parts of the world during the last decades. This cancer has an unusual age distribution with one peak in incidence in young adults (aged 20-39) and a second peak in over 60. On the basis of the Italian Bureau of Statistics, mortality rate was higher in northern regions of the country compared to southern ones, up to the beginning of the 1980's. However, the progressive decline in mortality in all regions eliminated the geographical differences in recent years. Incidence rates obtained from the existing cancer Registries, confirm a strong geographical gradient, with higher rates in the North (ex. 5.1/100,000 in Parma in 1988-92) than in the South (ex. 1.1/100,000 in Ragusa in 1988-92). The comparison between incidence rates of two recent periods (1983-87 and 1988-92), showed an increase in most of the provinces for which data were available. The age distribution curve showed that testicular cancer occurs after puberty, with a peak in incidence among 30-34 year olds, and after the age of 60. These observations suggest the possible causative role of some environmental exposures. Epidemiological studies have found an association between some occupational exposures in industrial and agricultural settings and testicular cancer. Moreover some studies have found an association between parental occupation and testicular cancer in the offspring. However, the aetiology of testicular cancer is still poorly understood.