Seminoma in undescended testes.

The role of cryptorchidism in testicular carcinogenesis has been of concern for many physicians for quite a long time. The probability of a malignant neoplasm developing in an undescended testicle is about 20 to 48 times greater than a normally descended testicle. In a review of 74 patients treated with a diagnosis of testicular seminoma at the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, from 1959 to 1978, six cases were identified with a history of cryptorchidism. A detailed review of these patients along with literature review is done in this paper. The different etiologic factors for tumorigenesis in this group of patients is also discussed. The importance of periodic follow-up of these patients is also stressed in this paper.