Risk and mortality of testicular cancer in patients with neurodevelopmental or other psychiatric disorders

Br J Cancer. 2023 Jun;128(12):2261-2269. doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02260-8. Epub 2023 Apr 24.

Abstract

Background: Both testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) and neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with urogenital malformations. Few studies have investigated the association between psychiatric disorders and TGCT. We investigated whether history of any psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder is associated with increased risk or mortality of TGCT.

Method: This is a nested case-control study including 6166 TGCT patients diagnosed during 1992-2014, individually matched for age and calendar period to 61,660 controls. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for the association between type of psychiatric diagnoses and TGCT risk. Among the cases, we used a cohort design and calculated hazard ratios (HRs) of the association between psychiatric diagnose and all-cause and TGCT-specific death.

Results: History of a neurodevelopmental disorder (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities) was associated with an increased risk of seminoma (OR: 1.54; 1.09-2.19). Seminoma patients with neurodevelopmental disorders were younger (34 versus 38 years, p = 0.004) and had more stage IV disease (5.4% versus 1.2%) than those without. Psychiatric history overall was not associated with TGCT. Patient history of any psychiatric disorder was associated with an increased all-cause and TGCT-specific death.

Conclusions: We report an association between neurodevelopmental disorders and testicular seminoma, and an increased TGCT-specific mortality for TGCT patients with psychiatric disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder* / complications
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders* / complications
  • Mental Disorders* / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* / complications
  • Seminoma*
  • Testicular Neoplasms* / complications

Supplementary concepts

  • Testicular Germ Cell Tumor