INTRODUCTION: @entity5 (GCTs) have been described arising in midline structures. Although primary retroperitoneal extragonadal GCTs (RPGCTs) comprise 30% to 40% of these, their existence as a genuine disease has been questioned. Our study evaluated clinicopathological findings to examine this question in RPGCT @entity1 at our centre. METHODS: Data from 414 @entity1 between 1980 and 2014 treated at London Health Sciences Centre with chemotherapy for testicular GCTs were reviewed retrospectively. Primary RPGCT was defined as pathologically diagnosed GCT with no evidence of GCT in the testes by physical exam or ultrasound. @entity1 thought to have primary RPGCT at the time of initial diagnosis were identified from an electronic database and data were extracted. RESULTS: In total, 18 @entity1 with a diagnosis of metastatic RPGCT were identified. Four were excluded due to ultrasound reports that were incomplete or suggested @entity5 . The remaining 14 @entity1 had negative or non-specific ultrasounds, and all received @entity902 -based combination chemotherapy. Ten @entity1 (71%) underwent post-chemotherapy RP lymph node dissections; of those 8 (57%) who underwent orchiectomy, none had corresponding pathologically normal testicular tissue. CONCLUSION: RPGCT @entity1 present with more @entity1442 stage. Our study sample size is limited, but the findings are consistent with existing literature suggesting that primary RPGCTs may not exist as a unique disease, but instead may represent @entity3 from a clinically occult testicular primary. By corollary, viable malignant germ cells may be present in testes of @entity1 with presumed primary RPGCT, and may persist as a site of residual @entity5 after chemotherapy.

Do retroperitoneal extragonadal germ cell XXXX exist?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'men'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['Extragonadal germ cell tumours', 'malignant disease', 'malignancy'] @entity1442 :: ('MESH:D020178', 'Disease') :: ['advanced disease'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastatic disease'] @entity902 :: ('MESH:D010984', 'Chemical') :: ['platinum']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['tumours']
