Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Report of 2 Cases with Asbestos Occupational Exposure

Abstract

We report here 2 cases of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. A 67-year-old man with a left testicular mass was referred for left inguinal orchidectomy. Histologic examination showed a malignant mesothelioma of epithelial type. There is no evidence of recurrence at 2-year follow-up. The patient had been exposed to asbestos 12 years previously for a 30-year period. An 80-year-old man presented a 5-year history of scrotal swelling. Clinical examination revealed a hydrocele. The patient underwent resection of the tunica vaginalis through scrotal incision. Microscopic examination showed a malignant mesothelioma of biphasic type. There is no evidence of recurrence at 2-year follow-up. The patient had been exposed to asbestos 52 years previously for a 5-year period.

Keywords

malignant mesothelioma tunica vaginalis testis asbestos exposure

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Plas E , Riedl CR , Pflüger H . Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. Review of the literature and assessment of prognostic parameters. Cancer 83:2437-2446 1998

Atlas of tumor pathology. Tumors of the serosal membranes. Battifora H , McCoughey WTE (eds). AFIP, p. 23, 1995

Jones MA , Young RH , Scully RE . Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis: A clinicopathologic analysis of 11 cases and review of the literature. Am J Surg Pathol 19:815-825 1995

Attanoos RL , Gibbs AR . Primary malignant gonadal mesotheliomas and asbestos. Histopathology 37:150-159 2000

Ahmed M , Chari R , Mufi GR . Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis diagnosed by aspiration cytology. A case report with review of literature. Int Urol Nephrol 28:793-796 1996

Gorini G , Silvestri S , Merler E , Chellini E , Cacciarini V , Seniori Costantini A . Tuscan Mesothelioma Registry (1988-2000): Evaluation of asbestos exposure. Med Lav 93(6):507-518, 2002

Gorini G , Merler E , Chellini E , Crocetti E , Seniori Costantini A . Is the ratio of pleural mesothelioma mortality to pleural cancer mortality approximately unity for Italy? Considerations from the oldest regional mesothelioma register in Italy. Br J Cancer 86(12):1970-1971, 2002

Gorini G , Chellini E , Merler E , Cacciarini V , Silvestri S , Seniori Costantini A . Incidenza e mortalità in Toscana per mesotelioma maligno pleurico nel periodo 1988-1999. Epidemiol Prev 27(1):13-17, 2003

Marinaccio A , Nesti M , Magnani C , Ivaldi C , Dalmasso P , Mirabelli D , Terracini B , Todesco A , Gennaro V , Montanaro F , Lazzaretto A , Bianchelli M , Celesia MV , Candela S , Romanelli A , Mangone L , Merler E , Chellini E , Gorini G , Musti M , Cavone D . Analysis of survival of mesothelioma cases in the Italian register (ReNaM). Eur J Cancer 39:1290-1295 2003

10.

Nesti M , Marinaccio A , Chellini E , Magnani C , Ivaldi C , Dalmasso P , Mirabelli D , Terracini B , Todesco A ; Gennaro V , Montanaro F , Lazzaretto A , Bianchelli M , Celesia MV , Candela S , Romanelli A , Mangone L , Merler E , Silvestri S , Gorini G , Cacciarini V , Musti M , Cavone D . Malignant mesothelioma in Italy, 1997. Am J Ind Med 45(1):55-62, 2004

11.

Barbera V , Rubino M . Papillary mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. Cancer 120:182-186 1957

12.

WHO . Pathology and genetics of tumors of the urinary system and male genital organs. Ebele JN , Santer G , Epstein JI , Sesterhenn IA (eds). IARC, Lyon, 2004

13.

Karunharan T . Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis in an asbestos worker. J R Coll Surg Edinb 31:253-254 1986