Scientists hail testicular cancer breakthrough

SCIENTISTS have made a breakthrough in studying testicular cancer in young men.

By using human testicular tissue grafted into mice, they have been able to study the development of the cells which can cause cancer.

Testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC) is the most common cancer among men aged 15 to 44 and cases are increasing.

However, testicular cancer is still relatively rare.

Experts already know testicular cancer originates from the abnormal development of germ cells (cells that go on to become sex cells) in foetuses.

However, how and why this happens has been impossible to explore before now.

In the latest study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, experts formulated a method for investigating how human testes develop in baby boys before they are born.

They took testicular tissue from donated foetuses and grafted it into mice, watching how the cells developed normally, as if inside a womb, over a six-week period.

Previous studies have not been possible because the TGCC seen in men does not occur in laboratory animals.

Testicular tissue also cannot be studied in a test tube because it does not survive and develop normally.

But, using the new model, experts should be able to determine which factors interfere with normal germ cell development and allow cancer to develop.

The team also hopes the mouse model could be used to investigate other health issues, including sexual disorders.

Professor Richard Sharpe, principal investigator at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh said: “This work will take research into testicular cancer to a new level.

“It will help us to investigate whether common environmental chemicals that foetuses are exposed to in the womb, play a role in the development of testicular cancer — an aspect that simply could not have been studied before.”

He said there was “overwhelming” evidence growth and development in the womb play a fundamental role in determining likelihood of disease in later life.

“Understanding how we develop and how this relates to disease in later life is crucial to improve our long term health.”