ASSOCIATION OF DOWNS-SYNDROME AND TESTICULAR CANCER

Purpose: We present additional clinical evidence for the suspected ass ociation of Doum's syndrome and testicular germ cell tumors. Materials and Methods: Four cases of Down's syndrome and testicular cancer are reported, The literature was reviewed for previous cases and analysis regarding common features. Results: The 4 patients were 29 to 35 years old and had clinical stage I seminoma of the testis. Two patients rec eived prophylactic abdominal radiotherapy, 1 is being followed and 1 r eceived adjuvant carboplatin treatment. There was no relapse at follow up of 1 to 8 years. One patient also had contralateral cryptorchidism. A total of 16 cases with the association of Down's syndrome and testi cular germ cell cancer was documented previously. Conclusions: Evidenc e for the suspected association of Down's syndrome and testicular canc er is now accumulating. Etiologically it is suspected that, along with genetically determined malformations in many other organs in trisomy 21, the gonads also undergo maldevelopment, thus creating the conditio ns for step 1 of germ cell tumor oncogenesis in utero. Physicians cari ng for patients with Down's syndrome should be aware of the possible a ssociation with testicular neoplasms.