[Testicular yolk sac tumor in children. Current view on diagnosis and treatment].

5 children with yolk-sac tumor of the testis (= infantile embryonal carcinoma) were admitted to our hospital between 1973 and 1981. Evaluation of serum alpha-fetoprotein concentrations and ultrasonography of the retroperitoneal area proved to be extremely valuable to predict the tumor stage in these children. Therapy consisted of high inguinal orchiectomy, retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy and cytostatic chemotherapy in 3 children using the T2-protocol. All children are now between 1 1/2 and 8 years free of recurrence and metastases. Therapy of this tumor ought to be differentiated according to the individual tumor stage. Most patients with stage-I tumor require only radical orchiectomy for cure.