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Clues in the Diagnosis of Non-tumoral Testicular Pathology pp 123–130Cite as

Macroorchidisms Secondary to Functioning Tumors during Childhood

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Abstract

The following tumors can produce precocious pseudopuberty: Leydig cell tumor, sex cord tumors (large cell hyalinizing Sertoli cell tumor and Sertoli cell tumor with large calcifications), virilizing carcinoma of the adrenal cortex, and extratesticular hCG-secreting tumor. The testicular size, the uni- or bilateral nature of the lesions, and the mechanism of testicular enlargement are highly variable from case to case. The Leydig cell tumors are those that have larger size at presentation followed by the sex cord tumors. In the remaining tumors, testicular enlargement is very discreet. Leydig cell tumors also have another peculiarity; they are usually unilateral, with no changes in the contralateral testicle. In most other cases, the lesions are bilateral. The testicular enlargement occurs not only because of the tumor mass but, and this may be even more important, due to the induced maturation of those seminiferous tubules in close proximity with the tumor caused by hormone production by tumor cells. Sex cord tumors are often associated with syndromes such as Peutz-Jeghers or the Carney complex.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Nistal

  2. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), University Hospital La Paz, Department of Pathology, Madrid, Spain

    Pilar González-Peramato

  3. University Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Department of Urology, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Serrano

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  1. Manuel Nistal
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  2. Pilar González-Peramato
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  3. Álvaro Serrano
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Correspondence to Manuel Nistal .

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Nistal, M., González-Peramato, P., Serrano, Á. (2017). Macroorchidisms Secondary to Functioning Tumors during Childhood. In: Clues in the Diagnosis of Non-tumoral Testicular Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_15

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