[Leydig cell tumor in the adult]

Presentation of 3 cases of Leydig's cells tumour in the adult seen in our hospital over the last 10 years. They account for 3% of all testicular tumours, 20 to 25% of them appearing during the pre-puberty period. Although an isolated testicular nodule is the most frequent symptom, gynaecomastia can be found in about 30% of adult patients, as it happened in 2 of our patients. Even though no malignant case has been described in children, up to 10% of cases in adults have metastasis, this being the only demonstration of malignant behaviour in these tumours, so radical orchiectomy is the choice therapy. Certain histological and hormonal parameters may be suggestive of the aggressive behaviour of this neoplasia which, however, we have not found in our series of all whom presented a good evolution after surgery. The most common diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, based on the different characteristic of the tumour, are reviewed.