Radiotherapy as a Single Modality in Primary Seminoma of the Prostate

Abstract

Extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGCTs) are uncommon, and those involving the prostate are rare. We report on a primary seminoma of the prostate in a 56-year-old male presenting with scrotal pain, urinary frequency and urgency, and erectile dysfunction. Digital rectal examination revealed a hard, markedly enlarged prostate projecting posteriorly into the rectum. All 12 cores from ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy revealed malignant cells that stained positive for OCT4, PLAP, and CD117. Imaging revealed a 10.2 cm x 7.8 cm x 8.4 cm prostate mass with irregular nodular margins extending superiorly to the base of the bladder and posteriorly abutting the anterior rectal wall. There was no evidence of distant metastatic disease on both nuclear medicine and CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. An 11 mm right internal iliac lymph node and several tiny sub-centimeter external iliac nodes were noted bilaterally. The patient was treated with radiotherapy to the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes. The pelvic lymph nodes were treated with 20 Gy in eight fractions, followed by a boost to the prostate for a further 20 Gy in eight fractions. There was a significant response during treatment that allowed an adaptive boost for a further 10 Gy in four fractions to bring the total dose to the prostate to 50 Gy in 20 fractions. Treatment was well tolerated. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not recommended. He remains disease-free 24 months post-treatment. This case report indicates that like most seminomas, extragonadal seminomas are exquisitely sensitive to radiotherapy and may be considered for the primary treatment of non-metastatic disease. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of the sole use of radiotherapy to treat a primary seminoma of the prostate.