[Morphological changes in the contralateral testis in patients with testicular tumor]

Biopsy of contralateral testis of 20 patients with an unilateral testicular tumor was carried out to evaluate the morphological changes of the contralateral testis caused by the tumor. Serum beta-chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels before orchiectomy were examined as a function influencing morphological changes of the contralateral testis. Typical carcinoma in situ was found in a case of ipsilateral testis. The presence of a few atypical germ cells, however, was the only finding of the contralateral testis of three patients. Five of 20 patients revealed hypospermatogenesis in the contralateral intact testis. Most of the other patients also showed sloughing of germinal epithelium suggesting disorder of spermatogenesis. Johnsen's mean score count and tubular wall thickening were related to neither clinical stages, ESR, serum beta-hCG, AFP, LH nor FSH levels. Tubular wall thickening was observed in 8 of 10 patients with a tumor weighting over 150 g, but was found in only 1 of 10 patients with a lighter tumor (p less than 0.01).