Testicular lymphomas: a clinicopathologic study of 35 cases

Thirty-five patients with malignant lymphoma of the testis were reviewed. The lymphomas were classified by the Rappaport criteria and the recently introduced Working Formulation of non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas. The great majority of cases were diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (Rappaport), and these could be further subclassified by the Working Formulation. Significant differences in survival were observed between histologic subgroups of the Working Formulation and this effect was independent of stage, which also had a significant effect on survival. Of 23 clinically evaluable patients who presented with testicular lymphoma, eight of 17 patients with intermediate-grade lymphomas are alive and well, in contrast to none of six patients with high-grade lesions. The recognition of histologic subtype as a prognostic factor independent of clinical stage is important for postorchiectomy management of these patients.