TUMORS OF THE SPERMATIC CORD AND PARATESTICULAR TISSUE - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

A total of 85 patients with paratesticular tumours were diagnosed over a period of 36 years at this hospital; 66 patients (78%) had benign t umours, usually either an adenomatoid tumour or a lipoma. Of the remai ning 19 malignant cases, 10 were primary neoplasms and 9 were metastas es. A rare mucin-secreting epididymal adenocarcinoma was the only prim ary malignant epithelial tumour, the others being of mesenchymal origi n. In 4/9 metastatic cases the initial presentation of a paratesticula r swelling led to the discovery of the occult primary neoplasm followi ng histological examination. Clinical features of a painful or painles s mass, with or without an accompanying hydrocele, do not help to dist inguish a benign from a malignant lesion. The prognosis of malignant t umours of mesenchymal origin depends mainly on the histological grade. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment and adjuvant the rapy significantly improves the chances of survival only in young pati ents with paratesticular rhabdomyosarcomas. Older patients with high g rade tumours usually succumb to their disease despite chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy.