Histopathologic classification and natural history of malignant testis tumors in Norway, 1959–1963

All malignant testis tumors which occurred in a single country, Norway, during a 5-year period, 1959–1963 inclusive, have been collected and classified according to a simple histopathologic system containing 4 groups—seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and choriocarcinoma. The population in the various age-groups was known accurately and registration of cancer cases was compulsory, so it has been possible to produce reliable incidence figures. The frequency of malignancy in maldescended testis is shown to be 10 times that in normal descent. The results of treatment vary according to the differing natural history of the 4 pathologic groups.