Epidemiological monitoring of testicular germ cell tumor incidence, mortality, and registration accuracy

This study analyzed the epidemiological trends of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) worldwide, as well as the potential factors influencing incidence, mortality, and registration accuracy between 2010 and 2020. Data sources included databases from the Russian Ministry of Health; biomedical research platforms such as PubMed, UpToDate, eLibrary, and Scopus; and systematic and semantic search methods for epidemiological data analysis. Historical epidemiological data show a continuous increase in TGCT incidence worldwide, with a tendency toward stabilization in high-incidence countries and a rising trend in historically low-incidence regions. Despite high TGCT incidence rates in Western and Northern Europe, mortality remains relatively low, demonstrating the effectiveness of early detection and treatment strategies. Geographical variations in TGCT incidence indicate a potential role of genetic and/or environmental factors in influencing the risk of this malignancy. Negative epidemiological trends may be associated with increase in etiological factors, the implementation of early detection programs, and population migration from high-incidence to low-incidence areas. Notably, historically high-TGCT-incidence regions (i.e., Western Europe, Northern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand) have shown stabilization, whereas historically low-TGCT-incidence regions (Central Africa, Asia) have experienced a rising trend. The mechanisms underlying these geographic and temporal variations remain unclear. However, considering the increasing global incidence of TGCTs, further advancements in diagnostic methods and treatment strategies are warranted. Such improvements will contribute to mortality reduction and enhance early detection of this malignancy.