Epidermoid cysts of the testes in Taiwanese men

Epidermoid cyst is a rare benign tumor of the testes. The records from the last 20 years of Taiwanese patients in whom a testicular tumor was diagnosed were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with a confirmed epidermoid cyst of testis were evaluated for age, clinical assessment and follow-up. Among a total 146 testicular tumors, 28 (19%) patients had a benign tumor including 15 patients (10%; mean age 23 years, range 17-32 years) with an epidermoid cyst diagnosed pathologically. Pre-operative suspicion of the benign nature of the lesions was supported by testicular ultrasonography in 11 patients. Seven patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging after which benign epidermoid cyst was impressed in five patients. A testicular-sparing operation was performed in 12 patients after frozen sections confirmed the diagnosis. Three patients were treated by radical orchiectomy. There was no relapse after a median follow-up of 42 months (range, 2-82 months). Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum may allow the diagnosis of epidermoid cyst of the testes to be made pre-operatively. The absence of relapse in these patients further supports the use of organ sparing surgery in these young men.