BMJ 1994;309:955 (8 October)

Letters

Testicular cancer and age at puberty

EDITOR, - The paper by the United Kingdom Testicular Cancer Study Group confirmed that undescended testis is a risk factor for germ cell testicular cancer and showed an increased risk with earlier puberty in white men in Britain.1 The postulated model to explain this was based on an increased exposure to pituitary gonadotrophins.

We have studied the incidence of testicular cancer in New Zealand. We found that Maoris had a higher incidence of germ cell testicular cancer than their white compatriots and than any other non-white race worldwide. We thought that genetic and hormonal factors were relevant and noted that Maori infants had lower birth weights and that there was a higher incidence of maternal obesity.2 These factors support the theory that increased exposure to oestrogen during pregnancy may be linked with an increased risk of germ cell testicular tumours.3 This theory also explains the association with cryptorchidism.

In contrast . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Aetiology of testicular cancer: association with congenital abnormalities, age at puberty, infertility, and exercise
D Forman, M C Pike, G Davey, S Dawson, K Baker, C E D Chilvers, R T D Oliver, and C A C Coupland
BMJ 1994 308: 1393-1399. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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