ABSTRACT
Tumours of the testis and prostate are increasing in incidence in the Western World. Testicular tumours are the most common malignant solid tumour in young men aged between 20 and 35 years. Some 30 years ago, these teratomatous tumours had a very poor prognosis, and more than 50% of patients with such lesions died within 2 years. With modern platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimes however, 90% or more of patients can be cured, even if they have metastatic disease. Prostate cancer is now the second most common malignant cause of death in older men in England and Wales, having recently overtaken colorectal cancer, though bronchial carcinoma remains the major killer.
