Diagnostic value of anti-alpha FP antibody levels in a metastatic germ cell tumor of unknown primary site.
BACKGROUND
A 21 year old man with a metastatic germ cell tumor of unknown primary not responding to chemotherapy was scheduled to have a blind bilateral orchiectomy to eradicate the possible primary site although palpation and ultrasonography of the testicles had always been normal.


METHODS
The patient underwent a radioimmunoscintigraphy with Anti-alpha FP antibody scan (AFP-Scan).


RESULTS
On the basis of the scintigraphic results the patient underwent a left orchiectomy and additionally removal of the lymph node metastases. Histology revealed the presence of an in situ carcinoma in the left testis and a mixed tumor present in the abdominal lymph node metastases. Fluorescent in situ hybridization on tumor cells did not show any abnormalities related to chromosome 12, a finding connected with the somatic type of germ cell tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-alpha FP antibody scan was helpful in detecting the primary site and saving the life of the patient without resulting in hypogonadism.
Malamitsi
J
J
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Stathopoulos
G
G
Kittas
C
C
Chorti
M
M
Colialexi
A
A
Hadziyannis
S
S
Proukakis
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12; D018237:Germinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D009919:Orchiectomy; D016719:Radioimmunodetection; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins