Benefit of routine scrotal ultrasonography during followup-Abstract

[Paul54]

Routine scrotal ultrasonography during the follow-up of patients with testicular cancer leads to earlier detection of asynchronous tumours and a high rate of organ preservation - Abstract

Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

To compare outcomes of patients with asynchronous tumours detected before and after the introduction of scrotal ultrasonography (SUS) during routine follow-up examinations.

Since January 2001 SUS was also used during the follow-up of patients with testicular cancer. A series of 16 consecutive patients with asynchronous bilateral testicular tumours diagnosed while still complying with routine follow up investigations were identified and divided into two groups; group A was diagnosed by palpation only, before 2001, and group B was diagnosed after 2000. The groups were compared statistically for the interval between asynchronous tumours, clinical stage, tumour diameter at the time of diagnosis and rate of testis-sparing surgery.

All tumours in group A were diagnosed by palpation, but only two in group B were palpable at the time of diagnosis. The mean tumour diameter was statistically significantly smaller in group B (1.2 cm) than in group A (2.68 cm); testis-sparing surgery was used in all of group B and only three patients in group A. After organ-sparing surgery all patients had normal testosterone levels. All patients after organ-sparing surgery had adjuvant scrotal radiotherapy because of germ cell tumour, and no patient had a local recurrence.

Our data indicate that using SUS for the remaining testicle in routine follow-up visits of patients with testicular cancer leads to the earlier detection of smaller tumours and, consequently, a higher rate of organ preservation. The maintenance of physiological endocrine function might finally result in a better quality of life.

Written by:
Stoehr B, Zangerl F, Steiner E, Leonhartsberger N, Fritzer A, Bartsch G, Steiner H.

Reference:
BJU Int. 2009 Sep 29. Epub ahead of print.
doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2009.08906.x

PubMed Abstract
PMID:19793379

[clockworkjerry]

I have been thinking about this very subject. I'm now going on 16 months of all clears, when I was fist diagnosed the ultra sound found the tumor on lefty. Also a small cyst on rightie. Dr. said nothing to be concerned about. Now after over a year is an ultra sound something I should have once a year just to check out, if cyst has gotten bigger or anything? I go back to the Dr. next month and will for sure ask him about it.

[Paul54]

You won't find the recommended U/S frequency on any standards that I'm aware of. My onc at Dana-Farber put me on annual U/S, but that was based on finding microlitiasis which some research indicates may be a precursor to TC. Otherwise, you might try to get away with whatever your insurance will pay for, and unlike CT's and Xrays doesn't have the radiation risk.