Cutaneous recurrence of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a rare case report

Our plain-English summary of Cutaneous recurrence of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a rare case report, by P. Priester, J. Kopecký, J. Prošvicová, et al (Onkologie, 2012).

The study

• Authors: P. Priester, J. Kopecký, J. Prošvicová, J. Petera, Z. Zoul, L. Slováček
• Journal: Onkologie
• Published: 2012;35(1-2):46-8
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 5 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Background: Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis is a rare and aggressive cancer; fewer than 90 cases have been reported. It occurs in all age groups, but its highest incidence appears between 55 and 75 years of age. Less than 5% of all malignant mesotheliomas arise from the tunica vaginalis testis.

Case Report: The authors present a rare case of localized malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. Diagnosis and treatment are described.

Conclusion: Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis can be asymptomatic for a long time. In more than half of the cases, the clinical manifestations imitate a hydrocele or a tumor mass in the scrotum. Despite treatment, this tumor has a very poor prognosis with a median survival of 23 months.

Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

In plain English

This case report came from University Hospital Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. It described one man with malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis, the testicular membrane. In September 2007, a 71-year-old man had fluid drained from a right scrotal hydrocele. Ultrasound then showed a solid mass, and the right testis was removed. The tumor was papillary and highly suspicious of invading the tunica vaginalis testis. Staging found no distant or regional lymph node spread. In February 2009 it recurred in pelvic and groin lymph nodes, and the scrotum and penis were removed. Palliative radiotherapy followed. In August 2009, cancer appeared in the perineal skin. It was treated with more radiotherapy and chemotherapy (pemetrexed with cisplatin, later carboplatin). Anticancer treatment stopped in August 2010 because of disease progression, poor physical condition and impaired kidney function; palliative care followed. The article said the patient died 2 years after diagnosis, though its dates do not fully fit this. No asbestos exposure history was given. Citing earlier work, the authors wrote that this tumor's median survival is 23 months despite treatment.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case report (a single patient)
• Who was studied: one 71-year-old man treated in the Czech Republic (Hradec Králové), first seen in September 2007
• Exposure: The article does not report any asbestos exposure, occupation or exposure history for this patient. Its introduction mentions asbestos only as a generally known risk factor for mesothelioma.
• Main results:
  • After a right scrotal hydrocele was drained and an ultrasound showed a solid mass, the patient's right testis was removed.
  • Tissue examination showed a papillary tumor.
  • The tumor appeared highly suspicious of invading the tunica vaginalis testis.
  • At first diagnosis, staging tests found no distant spread and no spread to regional lymph nodes.
  • The patient had no signs of recurrence until February 2009, when the cancer was found in pelvic and groin (inguinal) lymph nodes. The patient then had the scrotum and penis surgically removed.
  • In August 2009, the cancer spread to the skin of the perineum. This was treated with palliative radiotherapy (40 Gy in 20 fractions) and chemotherapy with pemetrexed plus cisplatin. Cisplatin was later replaced by carboplatin because of kidney toxicity.
  • Anticancer treatment was stopped in August 2010 because the disease progressed, the patient's performance status was poor and kidney function was impaired.
  • After anticancer treatment stopped, the patient was given palliative care to assure the best possible quality of life.
  • The article reports that the patient died 2 years after diagnosis.
• The authors' conclusion: Citing earlier literature, the authors stated that localized mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis has a very poor prognosis despite treatment, with a median survival of 23 months. They noted that this was also the survival time of their patient.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Tunica Vaginalis, Localized Malignant Mesothelioma, Hydrocele, Prognosis, Median Overall Survival.

Related studies

• Cutaneous manifestations of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis — H.J. van der Rhee, W.A. van Vloten, et al. (1983)
• Cutaneous Metastases From Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis — P. Hispán, J.C. Pascual, et al. (2016)
• Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a rare case and review of literature — M. Drevinskaite, A. Patasius, et al. (2020)
• Malignant mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis testis: Report of a very rare case with review of the literature — E. Trenti, S.M. Palermo, et al. (2018)
• Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a rare malignancy mimicking more common inguino-scrotal masses — P.J. Schure, K.C. van Dalen, et al. (2006)
• Rare tumors of the testis and mesothelial proliferation in the tunica vaginalis — M. Colecchia, G. Mikuz, et al. (2012)

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