Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis
Mesothelial tumors can arise from any tissue where mesothelial membrane exists. Because the tunica vaginalis is derived from an outpouching of the peritoneal cavity during embryonic development, it will occasionally be the site of primary mesothelioma. Gonadal mesothelioma accounts for less than 1% of all mesothelioma cases, however, malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis is extremely aggressive and usually fatal. Most patients diagnosed with this form of mesothelioma only live for a few years. The longest known survival period was 10 years, but optimistic expectations usually peak at 5 years. The most commonly diagnosed age group is men ages 55 to 75, but this form of cancer has been found in boys as young as 7 years old.
Since the first report in 1957, less than 100 cases of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis have been reported. Asbestos exposure is one of the only known causes, occurring in roughly one third of all cases. Hydrocele, a build up of fluid in the tunica vaginalis, is a very common precursor to this deadly form of mesothelioma and is very similar to the pleural and peritoneal fluid build-up that many patients experience with the other forms of mesothelioma.
Surgery is the main treatment option for mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. The most common type of surgery for this form of cancer is inguinal orchidectomy. Some studies have shown that high dose radiation therapy after surgery may be helpful in preventing any recurrence of the disease. For more information about the present knowledge of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis, please view the following medical articles:
Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Report of two cases with Asbestos Occupational Exposure[International Journal of Surgical Pathology 13(2):211-244, 2005]
Extensive Palliative Surgery for Advanced Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis [Urology 62: 748vii-748ix, 2003]
Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis associated with long-lasting hydrocele: Could hydrocele be an etiological factor? [International Urology and Nephrology 32: 687:689, 2001]
Case of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis and MRI [International Journal of Urology (2000) 7, 427-430]
Primary malignant gonadal mesotheliomas and asbestos [Histopathology 2000, 37, 150-159]
Malignant Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis: An Unusual Case [The British Journal of Radiology, 72(1999), 502-504]
MM of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: a Report of Two Cases and Review of Literature - 1998
