Quantification of germ cells and seminiferous tubules by stereological examination of testicles from 50 boys who suffered from sudden death.

A stereological study of the development of testicular volume, the germ cell population and the seminiferous tubules was carried out on testes from 50 boys between 0 and 18 years of age who had suffered from sudden unexpected death. Semi-thin sections (0.5 micrometer) of testicular tissue were prepared and examined by point and profile counting using a projection microscope.

Ultrastructure of meiotic chromosomes in boys undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia.

Meiotic chromosomes from four boys treated with combination chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia were analysed ultrastructurally by serial sectioning and reconstruction of spermatocyte chromosomes. Analysis of the 1012 chromosomes in 22 zygotene and pachytene spermatocyte nuclei showed that in most of the cells that reached the pachytene stage, one or more of the following abnormalities were found in the intranuclear structures: decreased condensation of euchromatin, centromeric heterochromatin, diffuse heterochromatin, or abnormal nucleolar morphology. The total number of recombination nodules and -bars was within normal limits, but in some nuclei the ratio between the two types of structure was inappropriate for the stage, indicating developmental asynchrony.

Gonadal function in men with testis cancer.

A group of 218 patients with unilateral germinal testicular cancer was investigated with biopsy from the contralateral testis and/or semen and hormone analyses after orchidectomy but before irradiation and chemotherapy. In 24% of the biopsies severe irreversible changes such as spermatogenic arrest, Sertoli cell-only tubules, hyalinized tubules, or carcinoma in situ were found. Serum testosterone (T) values were below the reference interval in 13% of the patients, whereas 12% had normal serum T values in combination with elevated serum luteinizing hormone (LH).

Screening for carcinoma in situ of the contralateral testis in patients with germinal testicular cancer.

Two hundred and fifty biopsy specimens from the contralateral testis in patients with unilateral germinal testicular cancer were analysed by light microscopy for carcinoma-in-situ changes. Changes were found in 13 (5.2%) patients.

Carcinoma in situ of the testis. Some ultrastructural characteristics of germ cells.

The two cytoplasmic organelles, dense-cored vesicles and "nuages" have been considered to allow positive identification of primordial germ cells in rodents, but no use of these potential markers has been applied to human material. We have observed dense-cored vesicles and "nuages" in the abnormal germ cells of carcinoma in situ of the testis and thus brought further evidence for the germ cell origin of this lesion. These organelles may be useful cytoplasmic markers in the study of germ cell tumors.

Clinical aspects of testicular carcinoma-in-situ.

Carcinoma-in-situ germ cells were demonstrated in testicular biopsies from 9 of 826 patients (1.1%) from a selected group of Danish infertile men. A similar observation was noted in testicular biopsies from 9 Swiss patients (representing 0.

Distribution of carcinoma-in-situ in testes from infertile men.

Quantitative histologial studies on 4 testes removed because of carcinoma-in-situ (CIS) were performed in order to determine the distribution of CIS within the testis and to estimate the likelihood of diagnosing testicular CIS by biopsy. The CIS changes were distributed in all parts of the testes but were less frequent in the parts adjacent to the epididymis. In the 4 testes examined 1.

Carcinoma-in-situ of the testis and invasive growth of different types of germ cell tumours. A revised germ cell theory.

The hypothesis is proposed that seminomas and non-seminomas are histogenetically closely related and both types of germ cell tumours may originate from a common precursor cell: namely the germ cell showing the carcinoma-in-situ pattern. However, it is suggested that the spermatocytic seminoma is an exception as it may originate from spermatocytes.

Microspectrophotometric DNA measurements of carcinoma-in-situ germ cells in the testis.

Early detection of premalignant changes of the testis in at-risk groups seems to be of considerable significance. Hitherto the diagnosis of carcinoma-in-situ testis has been based upon conventional histological techniques. A microspec-trophotometric study of the DNA content in Feulgen stained carcinoma-in-situ germ cells of eight infertile men revealed an aneuploid DNA distribution pattern.

Value of testicular biopsy in diagnosing carcinoma in situ testis.

Quantitative histological studies on four testicles removed because of carcinoma in situ (CIS) were performed in order to determine the likelihood of diagnosing carcinoma in situ testis by biopsy. The CIS changes were evenly distributed in the testicles except for the parts adjacent to the epididymis, where the lesion was less frequent. In parts of the testicles where more than approximately 10% of the testicular volume contained tubules with CIS all simulated biopsies measuring 3 mm contained the lesion.

Androgen replacement with oral testosterone undecanoate in hypogonadal men: a double blind controlled study.

The effects of androgen withdrawal and replacement were investigated in six hypergonadotrophic and six hypogonadotrophic men with hypogonadism. A double blind cross-over design was used comparing testosterone undecanoate (T.U.

Clinical trial with levo-norgestrel and testosterone oenanthate for male fertility control.

Two groups of six men took levo-norgestrel (250 or 500 microgram daily) by mouth and testosterone oenanthate (200 mg monthly, intramuscurlarly) for six months. A three months placebo period preceded the medication which was followed by a recovery phase of 6-10 months. Two volunteers withdrew due to side effects.

Incidence of carcinoma in situ of germ cells in contralateral testis of men with testicular tumours.

Biopsy specimens from the contralateral testicle in 50 consecutive patients with germinal testicular cancer were examined for carcinoma in situ. Three out of 21 men with seminomas and one out of 29 with other types of germinal cancer (8%) had carcinoma in situ in the contralateral testicle without any clinical signs. One of these men developed early invasive germ-cell cancer 46 months after carcinoma in situ was first diagnosed.

The effects of low doses of cyproterone acetate on some functions of the reproductive system in normal men.

One daily dose of either 5 mg or 10 mg cyproterone acetate (CA) was administered to 2 groups of 4 fertile men for 6 months. The medication was preceded by a 3 months placebo period and followed by a recovery phase of 5 to 8 months. During CA-treatment the sperm count/ml decreased and the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa increased slightly (0.

High incidence of undetected neoplasia in maldescended testes.

Testicular biopsy specimens from 4 (8%) of 50 men previously treated for maldescended testes had a carcinoma-in-situ pattern. 2 of these men had adjacent invasive carcinoma (seminoma and embryonal carcinoma). The patient with embryonal carcinoma had an enlarged testis but the 3 other patients with neoplasia had no clinical signs or symptoms of malignancy.

Carcinoma-in-situ of testis in testicular feminization syndrome.

A light microscopical study of an excised testis from a 14 1/2-year-old girl with incomplete type of testicular feminization syndrome revealed a carcinoma-in-situ pattern in a part of the gonad. An identical histological pattern has repeatedly been demonstrated in infertile men who developed gross testicular germ cell tumours. It is suggested that germ cell carcinomas in patients with testicular feminization syndrome may be preceded by this characteristic intratubular germ cell abnormality.

Carcinoma in situ of the testis: frequency and relationship to invasive germ cell tumours in infertile men.

A light microscopical study on a total of 812 consecutive testicular biopsies from 555 infertile men revealed intratubular changes in germ cells compatible with a carcinoma in situ pattern in six oligospermic patients (I.I%); the changes were found in both testes in two of these men. Four of the six patients developed an invasive germ cell tumour within follow-up period of 1.

Androgens and human sexual behaviour.

Androgens are generally believed to be necessary for normal sexual responsiveness in the human male and female. The evidence for this is limited and sometimes conflicting. This paper considers evidence from experiments in which exogenous androgens are given to people with impaired sexual response.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LH-RH) and human chorionic gonadotropin in the treatment of two boys with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism.

Two brothers, 16 and 14 years of age, with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and anosmia were treated with subcutaneous injections of 200 microng gonadotropin-releasing hormone at 8-hour intervals for 4 weeks. Serum FSH increased to the range of normal adult men, but serum LH and serum testosterone showed little change and no clinical signs of pubertal development occurred. Thereafter the 2 patients were given HCG for 11 months and a combination of HCG and HMG for a further 3 months.