Testicular disease in childhood B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the French Society of Pediatric Oncology experience.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate whether testicular disease in childhood B-cell lymphoma should continue to be considered a sanctuary site, as it is with other lymphoid malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven hundred forty-two children with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were included in the LMB protocols of the French Society of Pediatric Oncology from February 1981 to May 1994. Thirty patients (5.3%) had testicular involvement at diagnosis. We describe the clinical presentation and outcome of these 30 patients, who were treated without local radiation therapy. RESULTS: Five patients underwent diagnostic orchidectomy. The median patient age was 8.5 years (range, 2 to 14 years), and their cancers were stage III (18 patients), stage IV (five patients), and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (seven patients). Five patients had central nervous system involvement. Twenty-eight patients (95%) achieved complete remission. Twenty-six patients are alive without progressive disease (median follow-up, 6.5 years). CONCLUSION: Testicular disease does not seem to confer a poor prognosis, and it is curable with intensive combination chemotherapy alone. Local treatment (surgery or radiation) is avoidable; therefore, gonadal function can be preserved.