Deck 27: Epidemiology of Testicular Cancer

Question 1

Based upon pathological review, about 50% of testicular germ cell tumors are seminomas, 40% are nonseminomas, and 5-10% consist of components of both cell types.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Seminomas primarily occur in adult men but rarely in infants.These tumors do not express fetal proteins such as alpha fetoprotein, but some do express human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Nonseminomas include embryonal carcinomas, immature (malignant) teratomas, and choriocarcinomas.These tumors do express alpha fetoprotein, and the majority are diagnosed before age 30.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Testicular cancer accounts for only about 1% of all malignant neoplasms in males.Nevertheless, this malignancy is the most common malignancy in young men under 40 years of age.

Question 5

During 2018, 71,105 incident cases were diagnosed, and 9,507 deaths were attributed to testicular cancer in the world population.

Question 6

African American men have higher rates of testicular cancer than Caucasian American men.

Question 7

Among men living in developed nations, the incidence of testicular cancer is rising, but the mortality is falling.

Question 8

The vast majority of testicular cancer are diagnosed in elderly men.

Question 9

Testicular germ cell tumor karyotypes are characterized by aneuploidy, which means that the chromosome number is not an exact multiple of the usual haploid number (23 in humans).

Question 10

Risk factors for testicular cancer include prior history of unilateral disease, familial history, cryptorchidism (maldescended testes), infertility, infection, and congenital anomalies and germline mutations.

Question 11

Seminomas of the testis can originate from what cell types?

A)Sertoli cells
B)Spermatocytes
C)Leydig cells
D)Stem cells
E)All of the above are correct.

Question 12

What fraction (percent) of cases of testicular cancer are curable by early detection and appropriate chemotherapy?

A)50%
B)75%
C)85%
D)95%

Question 13

What type of infection is associated with the highest risk of developing testicular cancer?

A)Mumps
B)Measles
C)MRSA
D)HIV

Question 14

What surgical procedure offers the best protection against the development of testicular cancer in male infants with a maldescended testis (cryptorchidism)?

A)Orchiopexy before 6 months of age
B)Orchiopexy before puberty
C)Orchiopexy just after puberty
D)No surgery is necessary.

Question 15

Approximately 80% of testicular carcinomas contain which of the following chromosomal anomalies?

A)Isochromosome of the short arm of chromosome 12 called i(12p)
B)Translocation of the Y chromosome
C)Translocation of the X chromosome
D)Reciprocal translocation of chromosomes 9 and 22 (Philadelphia chromosome)

Question 16

Discuss the global epidemiology of testicular cancer.

Question 17

Briefly describe characteristic molecular and pathological features of seminomas and non-seminomas of the testes.

Question 18

Describe characteristic features of yolk sac tumors, teratomas, and choriocarcinomas.

Question 19

Discuss ethnic differences and time trends in the incidence of testicular cancer.

Question 20

Discuss the association of cryptorchidism and testicular cancer and the importance of early surgical correction.