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Objectives: To examine incidence, mortality and survival trends in England and Wales for testicular cancer, using the recently developed national cancer and national mortality databases., Methods: The directly age-standardized incidence rates for testicular cancer in England and Wales were calculated for the period 1971-97 and age-standardized mortality for years 1971-99. Trends in the data were then assessed, including the influence of social deprivation on testicular cancer incidence and survival., Results: The number of newly diagnosed cases of testicular carcinoma in 1971-97 in England and Wales increased from almost 650 to 1400. The age-standardized rates were 2.9 per 100000 cases in 1971 and 5.4 per 100000 in 1997, an increase of 88% over 26 years. There was a large decrease in mortality since the mid-1970s, with an age-standardized mortality of < 0.5 per 100000 since 1985. For men with testicular carcinoma diagnosed in 1991-93, the 1-year relative survival was almost 98% and 5-year relative survival almost 95%, compared with 82% and 69%, respectively, for men diagnosed during 1971-75. There is a 'deprivation gap' for the 5-year survival of > 6% in favour of the most affluent socio-economic group, with no significant change over recent years., Conclusions: The incidence of testicular cancer is increasing in England and Wales, consistent with the trend documented in other developed countries. The reduction in mortality has been marked since the mid-1970s, reflecting improved cancer management, in particular the introduction of platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for advanced disease. Survival rates in England and Wales are as good as in other European countries. Further developments in chemotherapy are unlikely to produce such a marked improvement in survival rates again, and minimizing the effect of social status on survival rates should be an important target of future care.

From the records of the Thames Cancer Registry, 859 patients were identified, who were treated with radiotherapy for seminoma of the testis between 1961 and 1985. Second cancer incidence and mortality and also causes of non-cancer deaths in the study population were examined. Fifty-one (6%) patients died of testicular cancer, 42 within 5 years of diagnosis. There were 42 second cancers (other than second testicular cancers), and 20 deaths from second cancer (expected, 22.1--non-significant). The only subtype of cancer with a notable excess was leukaemia (4 incident cases observed; 0.64 expected; relative risk 6.2, 95% C.I., 2.7-14.8, 95% C.I., 2.7-14.7). The overall death rate from causes other than testicular cancer was not elevated (82 observed, 82.06 expected). There was some suggestion of an increase in the risk of mortality with time; for 10 or more years after treatment the relative risk was 1.31 (95% C.I., 0.95-1.81). There was no evidence of excess non-cancer deaths (62 observed, 60 expected). We conclude that there is no definite evidence from this investigation of increased risk of mortality secondary to radiotherapy; however, the excess incidence of leukaemia may be treatment-related and the cohort will be followed further.