The epidemiology of cryptorchidism and potential risk factors, including endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Congenital cryptorchidism, also known as undescended testis, is the condition where one or both testes are not in place in the scrotum at birth and is one of the most common birth defects in boys. Temporal trends and geographic variation in the prevalence of cryptorchidism from 1% to 9% have been reported in prospective cohort studies. The testes develop in the abdominal cavity and descend to the scrotum in two phases, which should be completed by gestational week 35. Thus, the risk of cryptorchidism is higher in preterm boys. In many cases a spontaneous descent occurs during the first months of life during the surge of gonadotropins and testosterone. If not, the testis is usually brought down to the scrotum, typically by surgery, to increase future fertility chances and facilitate cancer surveillance. The increasing frequency of impaired semen quality and testicular cancer, with which cryptorchidism is associated, represents a concern for male reproductive health in general and a need to understand its risk factors. The risk of cryptorchidism is closely related to gestational factors (preterm birth, low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction), and especially maternal smoking seems to be a risk factor. Evidence is accumulating that the increasing prevalence of cryptorchidism is also related to prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals, including endocrine disrupting compounds. This association has been corroborated in rodents and supported by ecological studies. Conducting human studies to assess the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals and their interactions is, however, challenged by the widespread concomitant exposure of all humans to a wide range of chemicals, the combined effect of which and their interactions are highly complex.

Surgical treatment of cryptorchidism: current insights and future directions.

Cryptorchidism presents with an incidence of 1-5% with potential long-term implications on future fertility and overall health. This review focuses on surgical treatment modalities, their impact on testicular development, and function while addressing the Nordic consensus statement as well as current European Association of Urology (EAU) and American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines. Congenital and acquired cryptorchidism present distinctive challenges in surgical management, with different implications for fertility. While congenital cryptorchidism entails a risk to fertility and warrants early intervention, both retractile testes and acquired cryptorchidism also pose risks to fertility potential, underscoring the importance of evaluating treatment options. Testicular location and the child's age form the basis of a practical classification system for undescended testicles. Early diagnosis by clinical examination enables timely treatment. Imaging is reserved for selected cases only. Following guidelines, orchidopexy is recommended between 6-12 months of age for congenital cryptorchidism. Evidence increasingly suggests the benefits of early surgery for promoting testicular health and fertility potential. Current surgical options range from open to laparoscopic techniques, with the choice largely determined by the location and accessibility of the undescended testicle. The advancement in laparoscopic approaches for non-palpable testes underscores the evolving landscape of surgical treatment. Sequential surgeries may be required depending on the mobility of the undescended testes. More research is needed to explore both the potential and limitations of hormonal therapy, which is secondary to surgical treatment and can selectively have a role as adjunct to surgery. Long-term follow-up is imperative to evaluate fertility outcomes, risk of testicular malignancy, and psychological impact. By integrating current guidelines with the latest evidence, this review intends to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of cryptorchidism, thereby optimizing patient management and outcomes.

Testicular mesothelioma disguised as hydrocele: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Testicular tumors have many different manifestations. The majority of these cases are presented as an incidental finding during hydrocelectomy. Malignant mesotheliomas are uncommon tumours that can arise from the coelomic epithelium of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and tunica vaginalis. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 51-year-old South Asian (Indian) male patient with a rare case of mesothelioma, presenting with right hydrocele, to whom a right hydrocelectomy was performed. Any history of trauma or asbestos exposure was not present. Histopathological and immunohistochemistry reports revealed a malignant mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis. There was no invasion of the tumour to the epididymis and spermatic cord. Imaging studies showed no signs of metastasis. 1 month later, a high inguinal orchidectomy was performed. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy thereafter and is still on follow-up. CONCLUSION: Although hydrocele is common, detailed evaluation is mandatory to rule out certain rare tumours-testicular and paratesticular variants.

Case report: remedial microdissection testicular sperm extraction after onco-microdissection testicular sperm extraction failure.

BACKGROUND: Testicular cancer (TC) mostly occurs in men aged 14 to 44. Studies have shown that TC seriously damages male fertility, and 6% to 24% of patients with TC were even found to suffer from azoospermia when they are diagnosed. At present, some studies have pointed out that onco-microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) can extract sperm from tumor testicles. However, there are almost no reports on remedial measures after onco-mTESE failure. Given the valuable opportunity for fertility preservation in patients with TC and azoospermia, it is necessary to provide effective remedial methods for patients with failed onco-mTESE. METHODS: Two young men, who were diagnosed with TC and also found to have azoospermia, tried onco-mTESE while undergoing radical orchiectomy for fertility preservation. However, sperm extraction failed in both patients. Subsequently, the isolated testicular tissue of the patient in case 1 suffered from TC again, and the patient in case 2 was scheduled to receive multiple cycles of gonadotoxic chemotherapy. Because both had a plan to have a birth in the future, we performed remedial mTESE. RESULTS: Sperm was successfully extracted from both patients. The patient recovered well, without complications. The patient couple in case 1 underwent 1 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle but did not achieve clinical pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: There is still an opportunity to extract sperm successfully using onco-mTESE, despite the difficulty of fertility preservation in TC patients with azoospermia. If sperm extraction from the tumor testis fails, implementing remedial mTESE as early as possible would likely preserve the last chance of fertility for these patients.

Impact of a one-year supervised physical activity program on long-term cancer-related fatigue and mediating effects of the gut microbiota in metastatic testicular cancer patients: protocol of the prospective multicentre, randomized controlled phase-III STARTER trial.

BACKGROUND: Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) are the most common malignancy in men aged 15-40 years, with increasing incidence worldwide. About 33 ~ 50% of the patients present with metastatic disease at diagnosis. TGCT survivors experience short- and long-term sequelae, including cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Physical activity (PA) has established effects on reducing CRF and other sequelae and improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, its impact on TGCT survivors has so far received little attention. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in various physiological functions, including cognition and metabolism, and may mediate the effects of PA on CRF and other sequelae, but this has not been investigated in randomized controlled trials. METHODS: This national, multicentre, phase-III trial will evaluate the impact of a one-year supervised PA program on CRF and other short- and long-term sequelae in metastatic TGCT patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy combined with etoposide+/-bleomycin. It will also investigate potential mediating effects of the gut microbiota and its metabolites involved in the gut-brain axis on the relationship between PA and CRF and other sequelae. A total of 236 men ≥ 18 years of age with metastatic TGCT (seminoma and non-seminoma) will be enrolled before starting first-line chemotherapy in several French hospitals. The primary (CRF) and secondary (cognitive/psychological/metabolic sequelae, HRQoL, etc.) outcomes and gut microbiota and relevant metabolites will be assessed at inclusion, during and at the end of the one-year intervention, and annually until 10 years since inclusion to assess long-term sequelae, more specifically CRF, cardiovascular toxicities, and second primary cancer occurrence in this population. DISCUSSION: This trial will provide comprehensive and novel insights into the effects of a long-term supervised PA program on CRF and other sequelae in metastatic TGCT patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. It will also contribute to understanding the potential role of the gut microbiota and its metabolites in mediating the effects of PA on these outcomes. The findings of this study will help the development of effective PA interventions to improve the health of TGCT survivors and may have implications for other cancer populations as well. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05588700) on 20 Oct. 2022.

Kidney and urological involvement in Down syndrome: frequent, underestimated, but associated with impaired quality of life and risk of kidney failure.

Patients with Down syndrome (DS) are at risk of multiorgan dysfunction; kidney and urological impairment are common. This is due to a likely increased risk of congenital kidney and urological malformations (odds ratio of 4.5 compared to the general population in one study), more frequent associated comorbidities at risk of kidney dysfunction (such as prematurity in 9-24% of children, intrauterine growth retardation or low birth weight in 20%, and congenital heart disease in 44%), and more frequent lower urinary tract dysfunction (reported in 27-77% of children with DS). If present, malformations and comorbidities at risk of kidney dysfunction warrant regular kidney monitoring in addition to their treatment. Serum creatinine in children with DS has been shown to be higher than in the general population and asymptomatic hyperuricemia is reported in 12-33% of children or young adults with DS. Moreover cryptorchidism and testicular cancer are also more common and should be detected by clinical examination. Thus, persons with DS at risk of presenting kidney and urological impairment should be identified by prenatal ultrasonography, comorbidities at risk of kidney sequelae considered, and during regular medical follow-up, clinically examined and questioned to diagnose testicular anomalies and lower urinary tract dysfunction. This is of importance as such kidney and urological impairments are associated with impaired quality of life and mental health, and risk of kidney failure.

Higher prevalence of benign tumors in men with testicular tumors and history of treated cryptorchidism.

OBJECTIVES: To identify if surgically treated cryptorchidism correlated with testicular tumor pathology at presentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional database of patients treated for testicular cancer between 2003 and 2020 was reviewed. Inclusion criteria included orchiectomy patients. Exclusion criteria included unknown cryptorchidism history or pathology or laterality of orchiectomy. Data collection included demographics, surgical history, and tumor marker status. RESULTS: A total of 435 patients were included. Thirty-three of these patients had a history of UDT. There was no statistical difference in age at orchiectomy, laterality of orchiectomy, or lymphovascular invasion with regard to UDT history. There was a statistical difference in tumor pathology after orchiectomy, P = 0.03. On secondary analysis, benign pathology was significantly more common in patients with a history of UDT (15.2%) than without (4.7%), P = 0.01. Mixed GCT was also found at a significantly lower rate in patients with a history of UDT (18.2%) compared to those with no history of UDT (37.3%), P = 0.03. There were no statistically significant differences in other pathology. CONCLUSION: Previous studies have shown that there is a greater rate of seminoma in patients with testicular cancer in an undescended testis. This study shows that in patients with a history of UDT compared to those without a history of UDT, there is a greater percentage of patients with benign testicular masses after orchiectomy. Guideline based practices including monthly self-examination and testis-sparing surgery for appropriate patients may reduce rates of radical orchiectomy for benign tumors.

Restoration of reproductive capacity in a male patient with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and bilateral testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) after six months of glucocorticoid intensification: A case report.

RATIONALE: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is considered one of the most common inherited disorders. In about more than 95% of all CAH cases, the deficient enzyme is 21-hydroxylase. Infertility is an important complication of this disease, and although this topic has been studied more frequently in females, cases, and literature reviews of the causes of infertility in male patients are constantly increasing. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 28 old male with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (we assume to be a nonclassical type) presented to our institution with infertility and suspected bilateral testicular masses after 4 years of stopping dexamethasone. DIAGNOSIS: Testicular adrenal rest tumors. INTERVENTIONS: Dexamethasone was reapplied in a supraphysiologic dose (1.5 mg before bedtime) with periodic monitoring of the patient. OUTCOMES: Treatment with supraphysiologic dose of dexamethasone led to regression of these tumors and significant improvement in sperm count, resulting in being capable of having a child. LESSONS: There are many suspected causes of reduced male fertility in male CAH patients and the presence of testicular adrenal rest tumors is the main cause of infertility in this population. These benign tumors are believed to arise from ectopic adrenal cells in the testes, that grow under adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation in poorly controlled patients. Annual scrotal ultrasound is recommended in all males with CAH for detection and treatment of these tumors as early as possible before they cause permanent damage to the seminiferous tubules and irreversible infertility.

Hormonal control during infancy and testicular adrenal rest tumor development in males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

IMPORTANCE: Testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs), often found in male patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), are benign lesions causing testicular damage and infertility. We hypothesize that chronically elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone exposure during early life may promote TART development. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between commencing adequate glucocorticoid treatment early after birth and TART development. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective multicenter (n = 22) open cohort study collected longitudinal clinical and biochemical data of the first 4 years of life using the I-CAH registry and included 188 male patients (median age 13 years; interquartile range: 10-17) with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (n = 181) or 11-hydroxylase deficiency (n = 7). All patients underwent at least 1 testicular ultrasound. RESULTS: TART was detected in 72 (38%) of the patients. Prevalence varied between centers. When adjusted for CAH phenotype, a delayed CAH diagnosis of >1 year, compared with a diagnosis within 1 month of life, was associated with a 2.6 times higher risk of TART diagnosis. TART onset was not predicted by biochemical disease control or bone age advancement in the first 4 years of life, but increased height standard deviation scores at the end of the 4-year study period were associated with a 27% higher risk of TART diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A delayed CAH diagnosis of >1 year vs CAH diagnosis within 1 month after birth was associated with a higher risk of TART development, which may be attributed to poor disease control in early life.

Child Neurology: Anti-Hu Encephalitis in an Adolescent With a Mediastinal Seminoma.

Anti-Hu antibodies are associated with autoimmune syndromes, mainly limbic encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, and painful sensory polyneuropathy (Denny-Brown). We report the case of a 15-year-old boy presenting with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) found to have a right middle frontal gyrus brain lesion without atrophy or contralateral involvement. After partial resection, neuropathology revealed neuronal loss, reactive gliosis and astrocytosis, and perivascular mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate and features of neuronophagia resembling Rasmussen encephalitis. Suboptimal response to antiseizure drugs and surgery prompted further workup with identification of positive serum anti-Hu antibodies and a mediastinal seminoma. The patient was treated with immunotherapy including steroids, IV immunoglobulin, azathioprine, rituximab, plasmapheresis, and mediastinal lesion resection. However, he continued to experience EPC and psychomotor impairment along with left hemiparesis and dysarthria. Given clinical progression with failure to respond to immunotherapy and antiseizure polytherapy, hemispherotomy was attempted and seizure freedom achieved. A review of the literature found only 16 cases of neurologic presentations associated with anti-Hu antibodies in children, confirming the rarity of EPC in these cases. Thus, this report provides a new observation of germ cell mediastinal tumor associated with anti-Hu antibodies in children, broadening the spectrum of anti-Hu-associated neurologic disorders in children and highlighting the importance of considering antineuronal antibody testing in children presenting with EPC and brain lesions suggestive of Rasmussen encephalitis.

Primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma in an 18-year-old male with pulmonary and brain metastasis: A case report.

Primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma, also known as non-pregnant choriocarcinoma, is a rare malignancy unrelated to pregnancy, with a higher incidence in males. And primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma is mostly associated with organ and lymph node metastasis, with rapid progression and poor prognosis. Here, we report an extremely rare case of the primary anterior mediastinal choriocarcinoma that occurred in an 18-year-old man with multiple metastases of the lung and brain.

Male Infertility and the Risk of Developing Testicular Cancer: A Critical Contemporary Literature Review.

Background and Objectives: The relationship between male infertility (MI) and testicular cancer (TC) is bilateral. On one hand, it is well-established that patients diagnosed with TC have a high risk of pre- and post-treatment infertility. On the other hand, the risk of developing TC in male infertile patients is not clearly defined. The objective of this review is to analyze the histopathological, etiological, and epidemiological associations between MI and the risk of developing testicular cancer. This review aims to provide further insights and offer a guide for assessing the risk factors for TC in infertile men. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies discussing the relationship between MI and the risk of developing TC. Results: The incidence rates of germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS) appear to be high in infertile men, particularly in those with low sperm counts. Most epidemiological studies have found a statistically significant risk of developing TC among infertile men compared to the general or fertile male populations. The concept of Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome provides an explanatory model for the common etiology of MI, TC, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias. Clinical findings such as a history of cryptorchidism could increase the risk of developing TC in infertile men. Scrotal ultrasound evaluation for testis lesions and microlithiasis is important in infertile men. Sperm analysis parameters can be useful in assessing the risk of TC among infertile men. In the future, sperm and serum microRNAs (miRNAs) may be utilized for the non-invasive early diagnosis of TC and GCNIS in infertile men. Conclusions: MI is indeed a risk factor for developing testicular cancer, as demonstrated by various studies. All infertile men should undergo a risk assessment using clinical examination, ultrasound, and semen parameters to evaluate their risk of TC.

Male infertility and urological tumors: Pathogenesis and therapeutical implications.

Most genitourinary tract cancers have a negative impact on male fertility. Although testicular cancers have the worst impact, other tumors such as prostate, bladder, and penis are diagnosed early and treated in relatively younger patients in which couple fertility can be an important concern. The purpose of this review is to highlight both the pathogenetic mechanisms of damage to male fertility in the context of the main urological cancers and the methods of preserving male fertility in an oncological setting, in light of the most recent scientific evidence. A systematic review of available literature was carried out on the main scientific search engines, such as PubMed, Clinicaltrials.Gov, and Google scholar. Three hundred twenty-five relevant articles on this subject were identified, 98 of which were selected being the most relevant to the purpose of this review. There is a strong evidence in literature that all of the genitourinary oncological therapies have a deep negative impact on male fertility: orchiectomy, partial orchiectomy, retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND), radical cystectomy, prostatectomy, penectomy, as well as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal androgen suppression. Preservation of fertility is possible and includes cryopreservation, hormonal manipulation with GnRH analogs before chemotherapy, androgen replacement. Germ cell auto transplantation is an intriguing strategy with future perspectives. Careful evaluation of male fertility must be a key point before treating genitourinary tumors, taking into account patients' age and couples' perspectives. Informed consent should provide adequate information to the patient about the current state of his fertility and about the balance between risks and benefits in oncological terms. Standard approaches to genitourinary tumors should include a multidisciplinary team with urologists, oncologists, radiotherapists, psycho-sexologists, andrologists, gynecologists, and reproductive endocrinologists.

Testicular Mixed Germ Cell Tumor Presenting with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Case Report.

Testicular mixed germ cell tumors (TMGCTs) are aggressive neoplasms that often have metastases at the time of diagnosis, primarily in the lungs, bones, and brain. Gastrointestinal metastases are rare, occurring in less than 5% of cases, while duodenal involvement is extremely rare, with only few reported cases. Furthermore, gastrointestinal bleeding is an atypical initial presentation of metastatic TMGCTs. Herein, we present a very rare case of upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a duodenal metastasis of a TMGCT in a 24-year-old man. The patient was admitted to our hospital due to abdominal pain and melena with a hemoglobin level of 52 g/L. He had no history of testicular swelling, or any other symptoms or signs of a testicular tumor. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a duodenal tumor mass with irregular bleeding, and abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography showed a duodenal mass that infiltrate retroperitoneum. Emergency surgery was performed, and the histopathological findings of the resected specimen were consistent with TMGCT metastasis. Subsequently, a testicular tumor was confirmed and surgically removed; however, multiple metastatic deposits were observed in the lungs. Due to the patient's poor general condition, chemotherapy was not performed. The patient died 3 months after the initial diagnosis. This case suggests that, although duodenal metastatic TMGCTs are rare, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding in young male patients.

Corticotropin releasing factor-1 receptor antagonism associated with favorable outcomes of male reproductive health biochemical parameters.

Background: Disruption in androgen profiles and testicular adrenal rest tumors in males with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) can negatively affect sexual activity and fertility. Adrenal hyperandrogenism suppresses gonadotropin secretion and testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTS), despite being noncancerous lesions, cause obstructive azoospermia and impaired testosterone (T) production. Circulating T in men with uncontrolled CAH is often predominantly adrenal in origin, which is reflected in high androstenedione/testosterone ratios (A4/T). Therefore, decreased luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and an increased A4/T are markers of impaired fertility in these individuals. Methods: Oral tildacerfont 200 to 1000 mg once daily (QD) (n=10) or 100 to 200 mg twice daily (n=9 and 7) for 2 weeks (Study 201), and 400 mg QD (n=11) for 12 weeks (Study 202). Outcomes measured changes from baseline in A4, T, A4/T, and LH. Results: Mean T levels increased in Study 201 from 375.5 ng/dL to 390.5 ng/dL at week 2 (n=9), 485.4 ng/dL at week 4 (n=4) and 420.7 ng/dL at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, T levels fluctuated in the normal range from 448.4 ng/dL at baseline to 412.0 ng/dL at week 12. Mean LH levels increased in Study 201 from 0.68 IU/L to 1.59 IU/L at week 2 (n=10), 1.62 IU/L at week 4 (n=5) and 0.85 IU/L at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, mean LH levels increased from 0.44 IU/L at baseline to 0.87 IU/L at week 12. Mean A4/T decreased across both studies. In Study 201, the mean A4/T changed from a baseline of 1.28 to 0.59 at week 2 (n=9), 0.87 at week 4 (n=4), and 1.03 at week 6 (n=4). In Study 202, the A4/T decreased from baseline of 2.44 to 0.68 at week 12. Four men were hypogonadal at baseline; all experienced improved A4/T and 3/4 (75%) reached levels <1. Conclusion: Tildacerfont treatment demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in A4 levels, and A4/T with concomitant increased LH levels indicating increased testicular T production. The data suggests improvement in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function, but more data is required to confirm favorable male reproductive health outcomes.

Pure testicular choriocarcinoma with gastrointestinal metastasis and paraneoplastic symptoms: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pure testicular choriocarcinoma is a rare type of non-seminomatous germ cell tumor extremely poor prognostic with the tendency to bleed at the metastatic site. At the time of the diagnosis, 70% of patients have metastatic lesions. Depending on the site of the metastasis, symptoms vary. Gastrointestinal involvement is seen in less than 5% of cases, mostly in the duodenum. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 47 years old male with testicular choriocarcinoma involving the jejunum, lung, liver, and kidney presenting with acute abdominal pain, melena, and dyspnea with some paraneoplastic symptoms. The patient had increased, severe and constant pain in the right lower quadrant for the previous four days. Additionally, he was complaining of nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and a history of melena for the last 10 days. Dyspnea on exertion, hemoptysis, and dry cough were the symptoms he was suffering from, for almost one year. The patient's general appearance was pale, ill, and thin with 10 kg of weight loss during the last some months. The computed tomography (CT) scan reported multiple metastatic lesions in both liver lobes and the left kidney. Pathologic study of the samples of small bowel lesions showed metastatic choriocarcinoma. Following the patient had been referred to an oncologist to start the chemotherapy regime. Finally, the patient has expired after 40 days of his first admission. CONCLUSIONS: Testicular choriocarcinoma is a rare but fatal malignancy among young men. Gastrointestinal metastases are infrequent involvement represented by melena and acute abdominal pain, obstruction, and mass. Physicians should consider it as a differential diagnosis for acute abdomen and gastrointestinal bleeding causation.