In the recent past the major impetus for the perpetuation of lymphadenectomy in the treatment of testicular malignancy has stemmed, for obvious reasons, from military medical centers. Their reported results at present form much of the basis for the employment of this therapeutic modality.In the larger civilian institutions sufficient numbers of testicular tumors are encountered to warrant periodic analysis not only of the clinical features of these neoplasms, but an evaluation and comparison of the various forms of treatment.Due to the well-documented vagaries of lymphatic drainage, and the practical improbability of ever obtaining a complete ablation of all lymph glandular and ductile pathways, it is apparent that as in all forms of surgery for cancer, one is dealing with an imperfectly conceived approach to the problem. However, two aspects of lymphadenectomy as applied to testicular malignancy have seemingly stimulated its continued advocation.From the point of view of