Primary testicular carcinoid.

BACKGROUND

Testicular tumors in general can be classified as seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratocarcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and mixed tumors. Nevertheless, other histological types may also be observed. In rare cases, primary or secondary neuroendocrine tumors derived from chromaffine cells can be observed in the testicle.

CASE REPORT

A 51-year-old patient was hospitalized on account of a two-month-old painless tumescence of the right testicle. Radical orchiectomy revealed a solid, inhomogeneous intratesticular tumor 3 cm in diameter. Pathohistological findings and immunohistochemical staining with different neuroendocrine markers revealed a testicular carcinoid classified as pT1. The excretion of 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid (5-HIAA) was within the normal range. No further carcinoid tumor site was found.

CONCLUSIONS

In case of a testicular carcinoid, exclusion of a primary carcinoid tumor site in other organs is mandatory.