Late Relapse of Germ Cell Malignancies of the testicule- two case-reports and literature review

Abstract

Late Relapse of Germ Cell Malignancies (GCM) of the testicule is defined as relapse two years after complete response to adjuvant chemotherapy (CT), in the absence of a second primary tumor of the contralateral testicule. It’s a rare entity, and its primary treatment is surgery. The authors describe two clinical cases e revise related literature: 34 year-old male with a relapse of testicular GCM 11 years after initial diagnosis, treated with surgery and salvation CT; 47 year-old, with a relapse of GCM 18 and 20 years after initial diagnosis, treated initially with CT and on the second relapse with surgery. Currently both patients are at surveillance, without evidence of relapse. Late relapse of GCM of the testicule is a rare entity, that counteracts the good prognosis of this type of malignancy.