Gonadal infiltration in children with leukaemia and lymphoma

In a postmortem survey of children with leukaemia and lymphoma, the overall incidence of testicular infiltration was 65% and of ovarian infiltration 66%. In acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, testicular infiltration was found in 25 of 39 cases and ovarian infiltration in 6 of 12 cases. The majority of boys with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and testicular infiltration also had infiltration in other organs; furthermore, in most cases without testicular infiltration leukaemic infiltration was found in other organs. The findings of this survey support the view that testicular infiltration is indicative of widespread disease.