A retrospective and comparative analysis of survival in testicular non-germ cell tumors - Purpose, methods, results, and conclusions

Q: What was the study’s main purpose regarding TNGCT outcomes?

To assess the prognosis of testicular non-germ cell tumors and to compare the risk of death from TNGCT-related causes versus non-cancer causes.

Q: Which data source and statistical approach were used?

The study used the SEER database, estimating overall survival and cancer-specific survival using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Q: How did survival for TNGCTs compare with TGCTs?

TNGCTs had significantly worse overall survival than TGCTs, with a hazard ratio reported as 7.85 (95% CI 7.26–8.50).

Q: When did non-cancer death risk exceed cancer-specific mortality?

The risk of dying from other causes surpassed cancer-specific deaths approximately 4.5 years after diagnosis.

Sep 30, 2026

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Purpose: Testicular non-germ cell tumors (TNGCTs) are uncommon (<5%) yet aggressive, with outcomes often overlooked. This retrospective study evaluated prognosis for TNGCTs and compared risks of death from TNGCT-related causes versus non-cancer causes. Methods: Survival outcomes were analyzed using the SEER database, with overall survival and cancer-specific survival estimated by Kaplan–Meier methods. Results: Among 1826 patients, TNGCTs showed significantly worse overall survival than testicular germ cell tumors, with five-year survival ~50%. Notably, hazards peaked early and the risk of non-cancer death surpassed cancer-specific mortality ~4.5 years after diagnosis. Conclusions: Findings emphasize heightened awareness, appropriate follow-up strategies, and effective treatments, particularly for hematolymphoid tumors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages7

Reading Time18 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Materials and methods

SEER cohort

Yang et al. Discover Oncology (2026) 17:30 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-04048-z](https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-04048-z) Discover Oncology RESEARCH Open Access A retrospective and comparative analysis of survival in testicular non-germ cell tumors Lin Yang 1†, Congcong Li2†, Yuanyuan Mi3 and Ning Shao4* †Lin Yang and Congcong Li contributed equally to the present work and each is considered first author. *Correspondence: Ning Shao [urologysn@163.com](urologysn@163.com)[ ](urologysn@163.com)1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Jinan Shizhong District People’s Hospital Laboratory, Jinan, China 3Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China 4Department of Urology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, People’s Republic of China Abstract Purpose Testicular cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in men aged 15–35, predominantly comprising Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) . However, less than 5% are classified as testicular non-germ cell tumors (TNGCTs), which are often overlooked despite their aggressive nature and poorer outcomes. The present study aimed to assess the prognosis ofTNGCTs and assess the risks of death due toTNGCTs vs. non-cancer causes to provide an in-depth understanding ofTNGCTs. Methods We used The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database as our source of data for analysis. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results A total of 1826 patients were identified. Our results suggested that TNGCTshad a significantly worse OS compared toTGCTs, with a hazard ratio of 7. 85(95% CI 7.26–8. 50) . The five-year survival rate for patients with TNGCTs was approximately 50%, particularly for hematolymphoid tumors compared to the other tumor category in TNGCTs, with a HR of 1. 79(95% CI 1.55–2. 06) . Hazards ofTNGCTs-related death peaked at the beginning and diminished onward. Additionally, the risk of dying from other causes surpassed cancer-specific deaths approximately 4.5 years after diagnosis. Conclusions TNGCTs bring great challenges in prognosis and management, emphasizing the need for awareness, appropriate follow-up strategies, and the development of effective treatment, especially for hematolymphoid tumors with the worst prognosis inTNGCTs. Keywords Testicular cancer, Non-germ cell tumors, Follow-up 1 Introduction Testicular cancer, though relatively rare, is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among men aged from 15 to 35 [1]. The overall incidence has been on the rise globally, leading to increased concern among the medical community as well as general public [2]. Among its various subtypes, Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) constitute approximately 95% of all testicular cancers, characterized by their high responsiveness to radiotherapy/chemotherapy and better prognosis. However, less than 5% of testicular cancers are classified as testicular non-germ cell tumors (TNGCTs), a group that is often © The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the

FAQs

What was the study’s main purpose regarding TNGCT outcomes?

To assess the prognosis of testicular non-germ cell tumors and to compare the risk of death from TNGCT-related causes versus non-cancer causes.

Which data source and statistical approach were used?

The study used the SEER database, estimating overall survival and cancer-specific survival using the Kaplan–Meier method.

How did survival for TNGCTs compare with TGCTs?

TNGCTs had significantly worse overall survival than TGCTs, with a hazard ratio reported as 7.85 (95% CI 7.26–8.50).

When did non-cancer death risk exceed cancer-specific mortality?

The risk of dying from other causes surpassed cancer-specific deaths approximately 4.5 years after diagnosis.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by Mia