Primary testicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a clinical study and review of the literature.

Abstract

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the testis is a rare disease, and treatment outcome is generally poor. In this retrospective study, we investigated treatment results for testicular NHL in an attempt to develop an effective treatment policy for this disease. The survival rate and characteristics were retrospectively analyzed in eight patients with NHL of the testis who were treated between 1969 and 1991 at Kyoto University Hospital, Department of Radiology. Four patients were at stage IEA, one at stage IIEA, and three at stage IVEA. Of the eight testicular lymphomas, six were classed as intermediate grade lymphomas and two as high-grade lymphomas according to the Working Formulation. All of the eight patients received orchiectomy. Six patients received combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy as the primary treatment for the disease. One patient each was treated with radiation therapy alone or combination chemotherapy alone. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rate was 45 and 33%, respectively. Even though almost all of the patients had received combination chemotherapy, high incidence of relapse in the central nervous system (CNS) was observed. Prophylactic treatment against such recurrence may be necessary to improve the treatment outcome of patients with testicular NHL.