Family history of sexual birth defects not linked to developing testicular germ cell cancer

The risk for developing testicular germ cell cancer was associated with being born with hypospadias or cryptorchidism; however, there was no shared inheritability noted in relatives.

Previous research has suggested that hypospadias, an abnormally placed urinary opening; cryptorchidism, the lack of descension of one or both testes; and testicular germ cell cancer may be symptoms of testicular dysgenesis syndrome, according to researchers.

To determine the inheritability of this syndrome, they examined data from Danish health registers of more than 2 million men born since 1953 who were followed from April 1968 to May 2008. The researchers also identified first-, second- and third-degree relatives using the Danish Family Relations Database.

Patients with hypospadias or cryptorchidism were identified using the Danish Hospital Discharge Register, and patients with testicular germ cell cancer were identified through the Danish Cancer Register.

Testicular germ cell cancer developed in 5,441 men. Men born with either cryptorchidism (RR=3.71; 95% CI, 3.29-4.19) or hypospadias (RR=2.13; 95% CI, 1.26-3.61) were at increased risk for developing testicular germ cell cancer.

The overall rate of testicular germ cell cancer for men aged in their thirties per 100,000 was 25.1; yet, the rate was 88.6 for men born with cryptorchidism and 55.4 for men born with hypospadias.

Also, other than a small elevated risk for third-degree relatives of those with cryptorchidism, there was no statistically significant association observed among the rest of the relatives for either birth defect and a risk of developing testicular germ cell cancer, according to the researchers.

Schnack TH. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009;102:1-6.