title: Monitoring of patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis by determination of alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels and by computed tomography.
abstract: The results of a 7-year monitoring of 230 patients with non-seminomatous testicular tumors are reported with respect to the employment of radioimmunoanalysis of alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels and CT examinations of retroperitoneum and lungs. Prior to orchiectomy, elevated levels of at least one of these markers were found in 79% of patients. After orchiectomy, tumor marker levels were in 70.4% of patients in agreement with the results of CT examinations. After the completion of chemotherapy, in more than a half of patients normal tumor marker levels and positive CT findings were observed. These results were most often due to the presence of mature teratoma. In Stage I patients the advantages of tumor marker determinations and CT examinations in the early detection of tumor progression have fully been confirmed.
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins