TESTICULAR CANCER IN BLACKS - A MULTICENTER EXPERIENCE

Background. The rarity of testis tumor in black patients has made the study of a large series difficult. Much of the epidemiologic and clini cal information regarding this neoplasm in this population is in dispu te, including data on incidence, prognosis, histologic distribution, a ge and stage at presentation, and side distribution. Methods. A retros pective review of 66 blacks with testicular tumors from seven military medical centers was performed. Results. Similar results were found fo r blacks with testis tumor to those of the general testis cancer popul ation regarding prognosis, side distribution, and age of onset for non seminoma and interstitial tumors. There is a slight increase in the ex pected number of interstitial tumors in blacks, but the distribution b etween seminoma and nonseminoma is similar to the general population. The mean age of presentation for seminoma in blacks was younger than t hat of the general testis cancer population. For testis tumor treated at the same institution, there was an increased delay of diagnosis in blacks compared with whites. The number of new cases of testicular can cer between 1979 and 1991 at one major center was increased for whites but not for blacks. The availability of cisplatin-based combination c hemotherapy has resulted in an improved prognosis for blacks, as has a lready been demonstrated for white populations. Conclusions. Testis tu mor in blacks behaves similarly to testis tumor in the general populat ion except that in blacks there are more interstitial tumors and the m ean age of presentation for seminoma is younger. Further, there is an increased delay in diagnosis for blacks compared with whites, but the incidence of this tumor in this population does not appear to be incre asing. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has significantly improved surviva l in this population.