Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Historical introduction
- PART I Epidemiological methods
- PART II Causative factors in human cancer
- PART III Legal and ethical considerations
- PART IV Introduction: total and specific site epidemiology
- PART V Buccal cavity
- PART VI Digestive system
- PART VII Respiratory system
- PART VIII Bone and soft tissue
- PART IX Skin
- PART X Breast and genitourinary system
- 40 Breast
- 41 Uterine cervix
- 42 Choriocarcinoma
- 43 Endometrium (corpus uteri)
- 44 Ovary
- 45 Prostate
- 46 Testis
- 47 Penis and scrotum
- 48 Urinary tract, bladder, ureter and urethra
- 49 Kidney and renal pelvis
- PART XI Eye and nervous system
- PART XII Thyroid and other endocrine glands, lymphoid and hematopoietic system
- PART XIII Cancers in children and multiple primary cancers
- Conclusions
- Appendix 1 Cancer statistics
- Appendix 2 A glossary of epidemiological terms
- Appendix 3 Acronyms and abbreviations
- Supplement
- Index
46 - Testis
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Historical introduction
- PART I Epidemiological methods
- PART II Causative factors in human cancer
- PART III Legal and ethical considerations
- PART IV Introduction: total and specific site epidemiology
- PART V Buccal cavity
- PART VI Digestive system
- PART VII Respiratory system
- PART VIII Bone and soft tissue
- PART IX Skin
- PART X Breast and genitourinary system
- 40 Breast
- 41 Uterine cervix
- 42 Choriocarcinoma
- 43 Endometrium (corpus uteri)
- 44 Ovary
- 45 Prostate
- 46 Testis
- 47 Penis and scrotum
- 48 Urinary tract, bladder, ureter and urethra
- 49 Kidney and renal pelvis
- PART XI Eye and nervous system
- PART XII Thyroid and other endocrine glands, lymphoid and hematopoietic system
- PART XIII Cancers in children and multiple primary cancers
- Conclusions
- Appendix 1 Cancer statistics
- Appendix 2 A glossary of epidemiological terms
- Appendix 3 Acronyms and abbreviations
- Supplement
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Testicular cancers are relatively uncommon and occur primarily in white males under the age of 50. They are very rare in Africans and Asians.
Histology, classification and diagnosis
While testicular germ cell cancers predominate, a range of histological types are described by Mostofl (1977) and Schottenfeld and Warshauer (1982). About 50% of tumors are seminomas, 40% embryonal carcinomas and 6% teratomas.
Descriptive epidemiology
Incidence
The upper range of rates, between 3 and 9, is generally seen in western European countries. Although the highest rates occur in Switzerland (8.3 in Basel; 9.9 in urban Vaud) and in Denmark (7.8), a high rate is also seen in the Maoris (7.9) of New Zealand. Blacks in the USA, with rates around unity, have a much lower incidence than whites, with rates in the range of 3 to 5. The reported incidence of testicular cancer is even lower for African blacks than for American blacks (Fig. 46.1). Despite the accessibility of this site, several reports from Africa (Parkin, 1986) do not describe any such tumors, in contrast to penile cancer. Most rates in Asia are below unity. In several European countries, notably Denmark, the cancer is increasing in incidence.
Mortality rates for the highest socio-economic classes have been shown to be twice those in the lowest (Logan, 1982).
Etiological inferences
While geographical variations and higher rates in the upper social classes suggest that environmental factors may play some role, the great rarity of this cancer in both North American blacks and Africans suggest that an ethnic factor may be involved.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Human CancerEpidemiology and Environmental Causes, pp. 412 - 414Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1992