Cytogenetic analysis of a mature teratoma and a yolk sac tumor component of a late relapse of a disseminated testicular nonseminoma

We report on the cytogenetics of a primary testicular nonseminoma, a residual mature teratoma after remission-induction chemotherapy, and a late relapse after 9 years of follow-up, in one patient. The late relapse was composed of a mature teratoma and a yolk sac tumor component. Cytogenetic comparison of the different rumors shows that progression of primary testicular nonseminoma to residual mature teratoma and to a late-relapse lesion is accompanied by net loss of chromosomes. In addition, our findings may suggest that transformation to viable cancer in a late-relapse lesion is accompanied by further chromosomal losses. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved