OBJECTIVETo explore the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of testicular benign tumors in children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 37 boys (aged between 3 months to 12 years) with testicular tumors treated in our center between August 2000 and August 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 14 months and 21 boys were less than 2 years old. The tumors were on the left side in 18 cases, on the right side in 15 cases, and on both sides in 4 cases (adrenal residue testis tumor). Thirty-five patients presented with painless scrotal mass; in the other two cases, testicular residue tumor was found in routine medical examination in one case and testicular mature teratoma was found due to perineal pain in the other; both of the boys underwent ultrasound or CT examination. Thirty-three boys had tumor marker detection. Of the 37 boys with benign testicular tumors, 25 underwent radical inguinal orchiectomy and 12 had testis-sparing surgery.

RESULTSThe boys were followed up for 3-107 months (median 46 months). No patients were found to have tumor recurrence, metastasis or such complications as testicular atrophy; 3 boys had natural fertility later in adutthood.

CONCLUSIONSA high proportion of testicular tumors in children are benign. Preoperative ultrasound or CT combined with detection of tumor markers such as serum AFP can be important in the diagnosis of pediatric testicular tumors, for which testis-sparing surgery should be considered.