How is cryptorchidism and testicular cancer?

➢ 3- to 5-fold increased risk for testicular cancer ➢ Patients with unilateral cryptorchidism also are at increased risk for the development of cancer in the contralateral, normally descended testis ➢ Some intrinsic abnormality, rather than simple failure of descent, underlies the increased cancer risk ➢ Germ cell neoplasia in-situ may be present in cryptorchid testes and is a likely precursor of subsequent germ cell tumors except in Spermatocytic tumor ➢ Treatment : Surgical placement of the undescended testis into the scrotum = Orchiopexy ➢ Recommended by 18 months of age to decrease the likelihood of testicular atrophy, infertility, and testicular cancer