Testicular Tumors (Testicular Malignancies): Causes

Pathogenesis (development of disease)

Testicular malignancies involve uncontrolled growth, usually originating in the germ cells (85-90% of testicular tumors).

Biographic causes

Genetic burden – positive family history of first generation relatives.
- 39 risk genes explain one-third of father and son seminomas
- Genetic diseases
  - Klinefelter syndrome – genetic disorder with mostly sporadic inheritance: numerical chromosomal aberration (aneuploidy) of the sex chromosomes (gonosomal anomaly) occurring only in boys or Men occurs; in the majority of cases characterized by a supernumerary X chromosome (47, XXY); clinical picture: large stature and testicular hypoplasia (small testis), caused by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (gonadal hypofunction); usually spontaneous onset of puberty, but poor pubertal progress.
Socioeconomic factors – high socioeconomic status.

Behavioral causes

Consumption of stimulants
- Tobacco use-increase ratio (of number of marijuana users to nonusers) 18% (OR 1.18), but here not for nonseminomatous but for germ cell tumors of the testis
Drug use
- Cannabis (hashish and marijuana) → 71% increased risk of non-seminomatous germ cell tumors.

Disease-related causes

Maldescensus testis (undescended testis).
Contralateral (“located on the opposite side of the body”) testicular tumor (as a pre-existing condition).
Infertility/sterility (infertility).

Environmental pollution including exposures (intoxications) in the workplace.