Current problems in epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is a rare malignant tumor of men of working age, with an incidence rate in Russia of less than 2 % per 100,000 people. The aim of our study was to analyze current epidemiological data, modern trends in diagnosis and treatment of germ cell and non-germ cell testicular neoplasms. A literature review was conducted using the PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, eLibrary and Scopus databases. Given young age and the necessity to preserve high quality of life in this cohort of patients, timely and accurate diagnosis is important. Self-screening and cancer awareness programs, new biomarkers such as microRNA, circulating tumor DNA, circulating mitochondria DNA, and circulating tumor cells can improve detection of patients with this type of tumor. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography with dual-time-point imaging has high sensitivity and specificity for restaging of residual masses in testicular cancer. Development of new drugs, including immunotherapeutic drugs, can solve the problem of resistance to platinum-based drugs among patients with metastatic cancer. The quality of life of patients with testicular cancer directly depends on the chosen treatment tactics. Therefore, time should always be devoted to psychological preparation and counselling of patients before starting therapy, talking through and discussing all possible short- and long-term complications from the chosen type of treatment.