INHERITANCE AND TESTICULAR CANCER

Statistical analysis of published data on the age of onset of germ cel l tumours of the testis and of the prevalence of bilateral disease in familial and general cases suggest the following: 1. Patients with bil ateral disease carry the same genetic predisposition as familial cases . 2. Males with the hereditary predisposition develop none, unilateral or bilateral tumours in the proportions 55%, 38% and 7% respectively. 3. One-third of all testis cancer patients are genetically predispose d to the disease. 4. The 2.2% risk to brothers of cases as reported el sewhere can be accounted for by the homozygous (recessive) inheritance of a single predisposing gene.