Testis & paratestis
Nonseminomatous germ cell tumors-general
Author: Turki Al-Hussain, M.D.
Last author update: 1 January 2013
Last staff update: 9 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Nonseminomatous germ cell tumors [title] (NSGCT)
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Prognostic factors | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) imagesCite this page: Al-Hussain T. Nonseminomatous germ cell tumors-general. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/testisnsgctgeneral.html. Accessed March 28th, 2023.
Definition / general
- More aggressive than seminoma
- 60% present with stage 2 or 3 disease
- Metastasize earlier than seminoma, using hematogenous route
- Metastases may not resemble primary tumor
- Radioresistant
- 80% have elevated AFP or hCG at diagnosis
- May have increased metastases in Stage A patients if < 50% of cells are Ki67+ (Mod Pathol 1995;8:492)
- 60% of testicular tumors are mixed germ cell tumors; recommended to list components with percentage involvement
- Don't overlook yolk sac tumor foci or nongerm cell component
Prognostic factors
- 95% cure rate if no lymph node or metastatic involvement; 40 - 95% with metastases
- Poor prognosis if extensive pulmonary disease
Treatment
- Surgery plus chemotherapy
- 80 - 85% have complete response to chemotherapy, most are cured
Gross description
- Variegated appearance since usually a mixture of different components
Gross images
Images hosted on other servers:
Mixed germ cell tumor
Large areas of necrosis
Soft yellow areas
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Variety of histologic patterns
