[Clinical observation of twelve cases of testicular cancer]

Twelve cases of testicular cancer were treated at our Department of Urology between 1984 and 1985. The mean age of the patients was 35.2 years old. Eight of them were pure seminoma in histology, other cases were non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGT). Seven cases were of stage I testicular cancer, 3 cases were of stage IIA, and 2 cases were of stage IIB. Patients with stages I and IIA seminoma were given radiation to the ipsilateral iliac and bilateral paraaortic caval nodes to the crura of the diaphragma. Two patients with stage IIB seminoma were treated with PVB therapy and retroperitoneal lymph node resection. Chemotherapy containing CDDP was effective to reduce the tumor size. Two cases were of stage I NSGT, one case was treated with high orchiectomy only, and the other case was treated with chemotherapy after high orchiectomy. Chemotherapy and retroperitoneal lymph node resection were given to two patients with stage IIA NSGT. Abnormally elevated values of lactate dehydrogenase were observed in cases with a primary tumors weight larger than about 100 g. Six of the 8 cases of pure seminoma had slightly elevated beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. Two cases with bilateral testicular cancer were found among the 12 cases so that necessity of meticulous palpation of remaining testis was felt. Recurrent change was not observed in any of the 12 cases so that testicular cancer is considered to be an almost curable disease.