Testicular Microlithiasis

[joh]

I have been diagnosed with testicular microlithiasis and recently had a orchiectomy to have my right testicle removed as there were lesions discovered there. It was a stage one Seminoma and the urologist has told me to monitor the left testicle carefully because of the microlithiasis (building up of calcium deposits). The left testicle is still quite sensitive and painful (due to the microlithiasis). Any one else in a similar situation? What are the chances that the left tesicle is going to go the same way as the right one?

[apple]

My undersanding is that microlithiasis has traditionally been considered a risk factor for germ cell tumours. i.e. if it is present, you are more likely to get cancer in the testicle. However, I read somewhere recently that this association is questionable.

But, you should ask your urologist and oncologist to give you the most up to date information on this so you can make some decisions / get some reassurance.

Good luck,
A

[apple]

Here's a link to a recent large review.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20578177

It suggests that if you have microlithiasis AND other risk factors for TC (e.g. previous TC, in your case) then your risk of TC in the remaining testicle is raised. I don't have the full text of this article, but you should ask your oncolgist and/or urologist to explain this to you.

Cheers,
A

[Kat]

My husband also has microlithiasis in the remaining testicle. I've read that it's a risk factor, and I've also read that there is no correlation. So, I think the jury is still out on this. As his oncologist put it, though, "you've only got one left, and having a history of TC raises your risk without question, so you probably want to keep an eye on that." He gets annual ultrasounds on the testicle, just to be sure. At the one year post diagnosis u/s, there was no change, so....so good so far, I guess.
I wish there were more studies out there, but TC is uncommon already, and having it twice is even MORE uncommon, so there isn't much of a pool to study, I guess.

[andy26]

I also have microlithiasis in my remaining testicle and my urologist did say I am at a risk of developing TC in the remaining testicle and it definitely worries me considering i'm only in my 20's. Anyway, I've had ultrasounds every 6 months and as of now...no changes.