PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical behavior of clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis in adults to determine whether the behavior of this entity is different than that of clinical stage 1 nonseminoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the testis cancer database at our institution for adults with clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We identified 12 such patients and reviewed the database and hospital charts to determine clinical behavior. RESULTS: Disease was pathological stage I in 8 of the 12 patients (66%), including 1 with recurrence after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Disease was pathological stage II in 14 patients (33%), including 1 who remains disease-free after electing adjuvant bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. Of the 3 patients who elected observation after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only 1 has had recurrence, while 2 (66%) were cured by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to juvenile yolk sac tumor, which has a strong tendency toward hematogenous metastasis, the behavior of clinical stage I adult pure yolk sac tumor is similar to that of all other stage I nonseminomas in adulthood.
PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical behavior of clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis in adults to determine whether the behavior of this entity is different than that of clinical stage 1 nonseminoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the testis cancer database at our institution for adults with clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We identified 12 such patients and reviewed the database and hospital charts to determine clinical behavior. RESULTS: Disease was pathological stage I in 8 of the 12 patients (66%), including 1 with recurrence after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Disease was pathological stage II in 14 patients (33%), including 1 who remains disease-free after electing adjuvant bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. Of the 3 patients who elected observation after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only 1 has had recurrence, while 2 (66%) were cured by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to juvenile yolk sac tumor, which has a strong tendency toward hematogenous metastasis, the behavior of clinical stage I adult pure yolk sac tumor is similar to that of all other stage I nonseminomas in adulthood.