idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Grafik: idw-Logo

idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft

Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instanz:
Teilen: 
23.06.2022 10:47

Mesothelioma of the testis: histopathological examination essential for classification

Anne Rommel Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund

    Mesotheliomas are very aggressive tumours, almost exclusively caused by asbestos, which are very often occupational. Between 2014 and 2020, four out of five cases of testicular mesothelioma assessed at an institute were recognised as occupational diseases. The fifth case could not be classified due to lack of involvement of the affected person. However, all five cases were initially treated under a suspected diagnosis that was not related to mesothelioma of the testis. This shows the importance of histopathological examination of the surgically removed tissue.

    Although the processing of asbestos products has been banned in Germany for a long time, the mineral still triggers numerous diseases. One example is mesothelioma – rare but extremely aggressive tumours that are almost exclusively triggered by inhaling asbestos. Despite radical surgery, patients have a high mortality rate.

    It is suspected that the number of unreported cases of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis of the testis is even higher than previously known. Mesothelioma of the testis, like all other mesotheliomas, must always be reported to the work accident insurance institutions as a suspected occupational disease.

    Incidental finding: asbestos-related tumour disease

    Between 2014 and 2020, a total of five mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis of the testis were submitted to the Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine in Castrop-Rauxel for assessment. In the run-up to the operation, there was no suspicion of asbestos exposure. Only the histopathological work-up led to the diagnosis of an asbestos-related tumour disease. Due to the high rate of incidental findings of mesothelioma of the testis, a histopathological examination of removed tissue should therefore be the gold standard from a medical point of view.

    Background: Mesothelioma caused by asbestos

    Asbestos has been used as a fireproof material for a very long time. Since 1993, the carcinogenic mineral has been largely banned in Germany. However, since more than 50 years can pass between contact with asbestos and the onset of disease, new cases of mesothelioma continue to be diagnosed. Mesotheliomas are rare tumours of the pericardium, pleura and peritoneum, mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis of the testis are even rarer. According to the Robert Koch-Institut, more than 1,300 people in Germany were diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2016.

    Predominantly affected are men of older age who have worked with asbestos in their occupation. These are still currently at risk. Occupational groups include locksmiths, welders, electricians, motor vehicle technicians and tilers. Even the slightest exposure to asbestos can be enough to trigger mesothelioma. Therefore, any mesothelioma is always suspected of being an occupational disease.


    Wissenschaftliche Ansprechpartner:

    Prof. Dr. Klaus Golka
    Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors in Dortmund (IfADo)
    Phone: +49 231 1084-344
    Email: golka@ifado.de


    Originalpublikation:

    Ebbinghaus-Mier, D., Ebbinghaus, R., Prager, HM. et al. Das Mesotheliom der Tunica vaginalis des Hodens – ein histopathologischer Befund mit weitreichenden Konsequenzen. Urologe (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00120-021-01689-0


    Bilder

    Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
    Journalisten
    Biologie, Ernährung / Gesundheit / Pflege, Gesellschaft, Medizin
    überregional
    Forschungs- / Wissenstransfer, Forschungsergebnisse
    Englisch


     

    Hilfe

    Die Suche / Erweiterte Suche im idw-Archiv
    Verknüpfungen

    Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.

    Klammern

    Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).

    Wortgruppen

    Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.

    Auswahlkriterien

    Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).

    Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).