The "Krukrnberg" tumor in male.

OBJECTIVES: The ovarian metastasis by a gastrointestinal cancer is called Krukenberg tumor. We report a case of metastasis to the testis and epididymis by gastric cancer that can be the analogue in male.

METHODS: A patient, submitted to total gastrectomy for a poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma (TNM stage: pT3 GIII N+ M 1) developed one year later a painful swelling of the right hemiscrotum and groin. The palpation revealed a painful mandarine-like mass conglobated in the right testis and epididymis, with a further mass at the external inguinal-ring and multiple little nodes along the spermatic cord. An inguinal orchifuniculectomy was performed and the histological tests described a poorly differentiated, microtubular adenocarcinoma, infiltrating the connective tissue, without spreading to the testis, that was properly structured. The atypical tumor formations expressed carcinoembryonal antigen, but were negative for -HCG and PSA. The immune-histochemical results confirmed the diagnosis of an adenocarcinoma.

RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The metastasis in testicles and/or epididymus are rare and cannot be differentiated clinically or by imaging procedures from a primary testicle neoplasia. Only the exact anamnesis of previous tumors and the age can provide some indications. The therapy of choice is however represented by inguinal orchifuniculectomy.