What procedure should almost never be performed on a found testicular cancer?

Prepare for USMLE Step 1 Pathology Exam with comprehensive quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations. Enhance your understanding and be exam-ready!

In cases of suspected testicular cancer, a biopsy is almost never performed prior to surgical intervention because it can lead to potential complications, including tumor spread and seeding of the cancer cells along the biopsy tract. The standard approach for suspected testicular cancer typically involves a radical orchiectomy, which is both a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. This involves the removal of the affected testis and provides definitive histopathological assessment of the tumor.

Performing a biopsy on a testicle that is suspected to harbor cancer could not only risk the patient's health by allowing cancerous cells to spread but might also complicate subsequent treatment. Imaging studies like ultrasound and CT scans are essential for initial assessment and staging of the disease but do not carry the same risks as invasive procedures like a biopsy. Thus, while other diagnostic modalities are safe and important, biopsy is contraindicated in this situation.

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