Tumeurs germinales séminomateuses du testicule : diagnostic et traitement

Among germ cell tumours, seminomas hold a particular status related to their radio-sensitivity. Although radiotherapy remains the best treatment for localized tumours of stage I, in some cases, surveillance or chemotherapy may presently be considered as alternative therapies. Due to long-term radiotherapy-related adverse effects, in particular the risk of second non-germ malignancies or cardiac morbidity, both dose and irradiation field are reduced in case of lymphatic retroperitoneal extension. Chemotherapy is the preferential treatment in more advanced stages, either with retroperitoneal bulky disease or with metastatic extension. Its efficacy allows limiting surgical indications on residual masses, relying partly on the follow-up data of positron emission transaxial tomography assessment.