[Bilateral primary germ cell tumors of the testis: report of two cases and review of the literature].

Bilateral germ cell tumors of the testis are not common. The contralateral tumor may develop simultaneously or sequentially. In both cases, bilateral involvement is postulated to represent two primary tumors. Case 1: A 47-year-old male was seen with a painless nodular mass in the right testis. Physical examination revealed hard swelling of both testes besides a nodule in the right testis. He underwent bilateral radical orchiectomy; and, microscopical both tumors proved to be seminoma. Although bipedal lymphangiography was negative for nodal metastases, postoperative irradiation to the pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes was given to a total dose of 5,800 rad. The patient was alive 15 years after treatment for bilateral testicular tumors. Case 2: A 53-year-old male presented with painless left scrotal swelling. Physical examination showed not only an enlarged hard testis in the left scrotum but also a palpable hard mass in the right testis. Bilateral radical orchiectomy was performed and pathological examination revealed pure seminoma in both testes; a 1 cm mass in the right testis and almost completely replaced tumor in the left testis. Evaluation including retroperitoneal lymph node dissection revealed no metastatic disease. Postoperatively, the patient received 1,900 rad of irradiation to the retroperitoneal space. He is well one year after surgery and has no evidence of recurrence or metastasis. Previous reports of bilateral germ cell testicular tumors are reviewed and the incidence, age, predisposing factors, interval between the first and second tumors, histology, pathogenesis, prognosis, and management are discussed.