Adenocarcinoma of the rete testis: a review of the literature and presentation of a case with associated asbestosis.

Although scattered reports of adenocarcinoma of the rete testis have previously appeared and criteria for the diagnosis of this tumor have been defined, previous cases have not been described in sufficient detail to provide an organized account of the nature and behavior of this neoplasm. The present report describes a case followed to autopsy and provides conclusive evidence that it is of rete testis origin. Previously reported cases of rete testis carcinoma are reviewed and the salient features summarized, showing that the tumor has a definite clinical and histologic pattern and that the prognosis appears poor. The present case occurred in a patient with severe pulmonary asbestosis. This association is unique, and its significance remains speculative.