Granulomatosis and testicular germ cell tumors

To determine the cumulative incidence of granulomatous disease among patients with testicular germ cell tumor (GCT) at the University of Pennsylvania and to describe these patients' characteristics and disease outcomes.

A computerized search of a large electronic medical database at the University of Pennsylvania was conducted to identify all patients from 1997 to 2012 with a diagnosis of granulomatous disease and GCT.

A total of 14 patients were identified. The median age at the diagnosis of GCT was 32.5 years, and the median age at the diagnosis of granulomatous disease was 31 years. Most patients were diagnosed with granulomatous disease either concomitantly or after their diagnosis of GCT. The estimated cumulative incidence of granulomatous disease in patients with GCT at the University of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2012 was 168.7/100,000.

These data suggest a strong association between granulomatous disease and GCTs. The observed incidence of granulomatous disease among patients with GCT represents a 10-fold increase compared with the general population. Additional investigation is needed to elucidate the true nature of this association.