[Clinical evaluation on differential quantitation of human chorionic gonadotropin in testicular cancer].
In 113 patients with testicular germ cell tumor, the authors determined human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the free beta subunit levels in sera by differential quantitation using homologous hCG-beta radioimmunoassay (RIA) and hCG enzyme immunoassay (EIA), respectively. In 59 patients with seminoma, intact hCG was positive in 6 patients (10.1%), whereas free hCG-beta was positive in 23 patients (39.0%). Syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells were detected in 4 cases out of 6 patients with positive intact hCG seminoma. Seventeen cases (28.8%) revealed positive free hCG-beta only without elevation of intact hCG. In 54 patients with nonseminoma, both intact hCG and free hCG-beta were positive in 36 cases (66%). In some cases, hCG-beta/hCG ratio increased up to 275% when recurrence of tumor developed. Molecular heterogeneity of hCG is closely related to proliferation and differentiation of hCG producing cells. The differential quantitation of intact hCG and hCG-beta using these two assays is valuable for clinical detection of molecular heterogeneity of hCG in testicular tumor.
Nakamura
K
K
Department of Urology, Isehara Kyodo Hospital.
Deguchi
N
N
Nakanoma
T
T
Hagiwara
M
M
Tazaki
H
H
Hata
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin