Tumor markers in patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis.
In 82 patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors, the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined to find if there was a relation to clinical stage. Only two out of 34 patients could be restaged as a result of the presence of elevated marker levels. Markers were present in 12% of patients with stage IIA, 67% with stage IIB and 85% with stage III. In contrast to HCG, the initial levels of LDH and AFP were related to tumor stage. A return of marker levels to normal during chemotherapy always meant tumor regression and indicated complete remission in 42% of patients. Initial marker levels did not correlate with the eventual destructionn of all tumor by chemotherapy. A rise in marker levels always correlated with tumor progression. In conclusion, tumor markers have only a limited value in clinical staging. Disappearance of markers during chemotherapy does not always indicate destructio of all viable tumor, probably because non-producing cell lines such as mature teratoma may persist after chemotherapy.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002369:Castration; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013724:Teratoma / Q000097:blood*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase