Radiologic findings of mesothelioma at the tunica vaginalis

Our plain-English summary of Radiologic findings of mesothelioma at the tunica vaginalis, by S.W. Doo, K.H. Cho, J.S. Kim, et al (Urology, 2012).

The study

• Authors: S.W. Doo, K.H. Cho, J.S. Kim, W.J. Yang, I.H. Choi, D.W. Lee, S.S. Hong, Y.S. Song
• Journal: Urology
• Published: 2012;80(1):e3-5
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 6 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis is a rare, but often fatal, malignancy that usually appears during the fourth decade and has a strong relationship with occupational exposure to asbestos and long-lasting hydrocele. We present a case involving a 36-year-old man without a history of hydrocele, trauma, or exposure to asbestos who developed malignant mesothelioma.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In plain English

This was a short case report about one 36-year-old man with malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis, the membrane lining around the testis. The authors, from Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea, noted that this cancer has a strong relationship with occupational asbestos exposure and long-lasting hydrocele (fluid around the testis). This man had no history of hydrocele, trauma, or asbestos exposure. He had a painless swelling of the right scrotum for 4 months. Ultrasound showed a right hydrocele with multiple polypoid nodules on its surface, and a CT scan showed multiple small surface nodules in the right scrotum. Surgeons removed the right testis (radical orchiectomy). The inside of the hydrocele wall had many small, friable growths. The tumor cells reacted to mesothelial markers, including calretinin, mesothelin, and cytokeratin 5/6. The diagnosis was malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis that had infiltrated the spermatic cord. The testis and epididymis themselves were unremarkable. No metastasis was found at a clinical check 4 weeks after surgery.

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 (single patient, 'Images in Clinical Urology' format)
• Who was studied: One 36-year-old man with a 4-month painless swelling of the right scrotum. The authors were from Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure reported. The patient had no history of hydrocele, trauma, or exposure to asbestos.
• Main results:
  • Scrotal ultrasound in this patient showed a right hydrocele with multiple surface polypoid nodules.
  • CT scan in this patient showed multiple small surface nodularities in the right scrotum.
  • Radical orchiectomy was performed. The hydrocele wall showed many small friable excrescences.
  • Tumor cells were reactive with mesothelial markers including calretinin, mesothelin, and cytokeratin 5/6.
  • Pathologic diagnosis was malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis with infiltration of the spermatic cord.
  • The testis and epididymis were unremarkable, with no communication to the hydrocele sac.
  • No metastasis was found at the clinical evaluation 4 weeks after surgery.

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, Occupational Exposure, Hydrocele.

Related studies

• Malignant mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis testis — G. Tyagi, C.S. Munn, et al. (1989)
• Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis: a atypical presentation of a rare scrotal tumour — M.C. Harris, C. Logan, et al. (2019)
• Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: unusual sonographic appearance — M.T. Wang, C.W. Mak, et al. (2005)
• Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis testis of unknown malignant potential: Sonographic appearance — K.W.S. Ko, K.S. Tse, et al. (2018)
• Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Outcomes Following Surgical Management Beyond Radical Orchiectomy — P. Recabal, B. Rosenzweig, et al. (2017)
• 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)

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