Testicular Cancer - An Unexpected Course of the Disease

Abstract

There are two major histologic types of testicular cancer: pure seminoma and nonseminomatous germ cell tumours which include embryonic carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, yolc sac tumours and teratomas. Rarely, in 2% of cases, teratomas may contain elements of somatic cancer, such as sarcoma or adenocarcinoma and it is then referred to as a ''teratoma with somatic type malignancy''. The histology of somatic malignant elements most commonly includes adenocarcinoma and various types of sarcomas; however, so far as the primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are concerned the experience is quite limited. Here we report an unusual case of a testicular seminoma that relapsed 6 months after surgery as a teratoma with somatic neuroendocrine differentiation situated in retroperitoneal lymph nodes.