Primary testicular carcinoid

Introduction: Primary carcinoid tumors of the testicle are rare and controv ersially discussed in their pathogenesis. Althrough carcinoid tumors most c ommonly develop in the gastrointestinal tract, they may also occur in other organs, including the genitourinary system. Case report: A 51-year-old man was hospitalized with an asymptomatic right testicular mass. Radical orchiectomy revealed a three centimeter in diamete r measuring, well circumscribed, inhomogeneous lesion within the testicular parenchyma, which was diagnosed as a pure testicular carcinoid. Neither an intreveneous excretory urogram, an abdominal and pulmonary CT nor upper ga strointestinal series with small bower passage showed pathological findings . Additionally, the serum values of alpha-fetoprotein and beta-hcG as well as the level for the Serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindollacetic acid were w ithin the normal range. The patient has been followed for more than two yea rs without any evidence for a recurrence. Conclusion: The therapeutic management of primary carcinoid of the testicle is radical orchiectomy and a follow up for more than ten years. Analysis o f neoplasms with aggressive properties revealed that tumor size and presenc e of the carcinoid syndrome are important features indicating a malignant c ourse, tumors measuring less than four centimeters in a diameter have a mor e benigne clinical course.