Survival of Mexican-American males with seminoma.
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine if ethnicity was a prognostic variable in survival outcomes for testicular seminoma. MATERIALS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients with a histologic diagnosis of seminoma treated at University of illinois Hospitals were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 52 (57%) white, 22 (24%) African-American, 16 (18%) Mexican-American and 1% Asian patients. Adjusted survivals for the life-table method were 84% and 80% for the whites and Africa-American patients and 69% for the Hispanic patients. The poorer outcome appeared to be related to stage at diagnosis. CONCLUSION: In this population with testicular seminoma Mexican-American patients appear to have a worse prognosis than other ethnic groups. These differences were associated to a delayed diagnosis probably due to cultural influences.