engleski

Trends in testicular germ cell cancer incidence in Eastern Croatia

Aim To investigate the possible association between the radioactive and toxic elements contamination, mainly depleted uranium (DU) from Chernobyl accident, Croatian War of Independence and Bosnian War and the increasing incidence of testicular germ cell cancers (TGCC) in the population of Eastern Croatia. Methods From 1969 to 2012, 258 testicular cancer (TC) patients were treated at Department of Urology, University Hospital Centre Osijek. Incomplete data were found in 32 patients who were excluded from the analysis and 10 patients had non-TGCC TC. Seminoma and non-seminoma groups were included out of 216 TGCC patients. The patients were assigned to one of the time periods: 1969-1995 (distant prewar and war period) and 1996-2012 (postwar period). Results In the postwar period 3.5 times higher incidence rate for non-seminomas (4.5 patients yearly vs. 1.3), seminomas (4.2 vs. 1.2) and TGCC overall (8.7 vs. 2.5) was found compared to prewar period, with non-seminoma presenting in more advanced stage III (35.5% vs. 13.9%, p=0.013). Conclusion Usage of depleted uranium in armed conflicts could lead to the development of TGCC after unknown time of latency. Exposure assessment is mandatory to determine the possible causative correlation between the depleted uranium exposure and testicular germ cell cancer.

testicular neoplasms ; nuclear warfare ; uranium ; Chernobyl nuclear accident ; Croatia

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