Inguinal lymphatic metastasis of cancer of the testis: staging and therapeutic approach]

Inguinal lymph node metastases from testicular tumors are reported in 2% of cases. Between 1980 and 1990, two patients in a series of 54 testicular tumors, presented with inguinal node metastases. In there two cases and in the cases in the literature, it is well known, that testicular tumors in patients who have had the lymphatics disrupted by prior scrotal or inguinal surgery, or tumor-contaminated scrotum, can metastasize primarily to the ipsilateral inguinal nodes. Even in the absence of other retroperitoneal metastases, these testicular tumors must be considered to be stage IIA. Owing to the efficacy of primary or secondary chemotherapy, ipsilateral inguinal node dissection is not necessary in nonseminomatous testicular tumors. For testicular seminoma, an additional inguinoscrotal radiotherapy is necessary. Survival rate for testicular tumors with isolated metastatic inguinal nodes, particularly in tumor-contaminated scrotum, is not significantly different, compared to a group of patient without inguinal nodes.