Grossing and reporting of testicular tumor specimens : An evidence-based approach

Abstract

The majority of testicular tumors are germ cell tumors (GCTs), but there are numerous other types, making testicular tumors one of the most diverse areas of human pathology, despite their relative rarity. Testicular tumors are usually diagnosed only after radical surgery, as biopsies are not performed. Further management of the patient is dependent on the diagnosis at microscopy, which itself is based on the sections taken at the time of grossing the specimen. Many pathologists often aren′t well versed with guidelines for handling of orchiectomy specimens and for microscopy. This article discusses, in detail, the approach to grossing of a testicular tumor specimen and elaborates of the reasons as to why we do what we do at the initial “cut-up”. It explains the logic behind the reporting guidelines for testicular tumors and offer a clinical primer to the pathologist as to why we do what we do while grossing testicular tumor specimens.