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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Seminoma and Nonseminoma?

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Seminoma and nonseminoma are the two main types of germ cell tumors (GCT) that occur in testicular cancer. They have different characteristics, growth rates, and treatments:

Seminoma:

  • Tends to grow and spread more slowly than nonseminomas.
  • Subtypes include classic seminoma (95% of seminomas) and spermatocytic seminoma (occur in older men and have an excellent prognosis).
  • Seminomas are often very sensitive to radiation therapy.
  • They can secrete human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) but do not secrete other tumor markers.
  • Most seminomas consist of multiple nodules, with narrow, obviously enhanced fibrovascular septa.

Nonseminoma:

  • More common type of testicular cancer.
  • Tends to grow more quickly than seminomas.
  • Subtypes include embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac carcinoma, and teratoma.
  • Nonseminoma cells can make hormones, which can result in the production of different levels of proteins in the blood.
  • Many testicular cancers contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells, known as mixed germ cell tumors. These are treated as nonseminomas because they grow and spread like nonseminomas.

Tumor morphology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help differentiate between seminoma and nonseminoma. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for both seminomas and nonseminomas, and it has greatly improved survival for people with both types of testicular cancer.

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  • What is the Difference Between Seminoma and Nonseminoma?
  • Comparative Table: Seminoma vs Nonseminoma

    • Comparative Table: Seminoma vs Nonseminoma

    Here is a table comparing the differences between seminoma and nonseminoma testicular tumors:

    Feature Seminoma Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors (NSGCT)
    Histology Single type of germ cell tumor Mixed types of germ cell tumors: choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, yolk cell carcinoma
    Homogeneity More homogeneous than NSGCT Less homogeneous than seminoma
    Signal Intensity Isointense compared to normal testicular parenchyma on T1WI Hypointense compared to spermatogenic cells on T2WI
    Capsule More likely to have no capsule More likely to have a capsule
    Septae More likely to have septa Less likely to have septa
    Hemorrhagic or Cystic Degeneration Less likely to have hemorrhagic or cystic degeneration More likely to have hemorrhagic or cystic degeneration
    Metastasis More likely to metastasize to lungs, liver, central nervous system, bone Can spread to various organs, but not as likely to cause widespread metastases as NSGCT

    Both seminomas and nonseminomatous germ cell tumors are types of germ cell tumors found in the testicles. The primary distinction between the two is based on their histological appearance under the microscope. Seminomas tend to grow and spread more slowly than NSGCTs and are more likely to respond to chemotherapy and radiation treatments. In contrast, nonseminomatous germ cell tumors are more varied in appearance and prognosis and may have mixed histology.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.