ADENOFIBROMA OF THE RETE TESTIS: A Case Report with Electron Microscopy Findings

Abstract

The light and electron microscopic characteristics of an adenofibroma of the rete testis in a 51‐year‐old man are described. The tumor was 5.5 cm in greatest diameter and situated in the anterior superior portion of the right testis. It was composed mainly of mesenchymal and secondary epithelial proliferation. Long slit‐like spaces and short tubules lined by a layer of epithelial cells were seen in the mesenchymal tissue. The epithelium was histochemically and ultrastructurally similar to that of the rete testis, and the tumor was considered to be of rete testis origin. ACTA PATHOL JPN 38: 105–112, 1988.

Adenofibroma of the testis

“…Benign papillary cystadenoma of the testis has also been reported 10. Adenofibromas of the rete testes and paratestes are also well documented,11 12 although the commonest benign lesions in the paratestes appear to be serous borderline tumours 13…”

Serous Adenofibroma of the Testicle

“…5,6,9,10 Tumor serum marker test results were negative in these cases. 5,6,9 Our 27-year-old patient was within the reported age range of 19 to 51 years. In another previously described patient from our institution, an adenofibroma was discovered at exploration for testicular torsion.…”

“…2,4,6 Although electron microscopy was not used in our case, previously described tumors showed heavily indented nuclei and numerous intracytoplasmic vesicles, ultrastructural features shared with the rete testis, suggesting it as a site of origin in at least a subset of these entities. 9 Adenofibroma of the testis is rare, with only a few cases described in the literature. 5,6,9,10 Tumor serum marker test results were negative in these cases.…”

“…9 Adenofibroma of the testis is rare, with only a few cases described in the literature. 5,6,9,10 Tumor serum marker test results were negative in these cases. 5,6,9 Our 27-year-old patient was within the reported age range of 19 to 51 years.…”