[Place of serum HCG assay in the follow-up of non-HCG-secreting testicular seminomas].
OBJECTIVE
Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) is secreted by 10 to 20% of seminomas. The authors evaluated variations of serum total HCG levels in patients with normal baseline levels for the surveillance of treated testicular seminomas in order to determine the value of assay of this tumour marker in the follow-up of testicular seminoma.


METHODS
Retrospective study from January 1988 to March 2007, including 95 cases of operated testicular cancer, including 28 seminomas, 25 of which did not secrete HCG (baseline total HCG less than 15 IU/L). Patients were reviewed periodically: every three months for one year, every six months during the second year, then annually, comprising of clinical examination, CT examination and assay of tumour markers (HCG, LDH and AFP).


RESULTS
Mean follow-up was 77.5 months (range: 6-120). Twenty-five patients had a total HCG level less than 15 IU/L three months after orchidectomy. Serum HCG remained stable at less than 15 IU/L in all patients with a follow-up of more than three years. Two patients developed non-regional lymph node recurrence with no modification of the serum HCG level.


CONCLUSIONS
All treated non-HCG-secreting seminomas with or without recurrence had stable and normal HCG levels throughout follow-up, which raises the question of the value of HCG assay in the follow-up of these patients following histological confirmation of the diagnosis.
Djeffal
C
C
Service d'urologie et transplantation, CHU-hôpital Sud, avenue René-Laënnec, 80054 Amiens cedex 1, France. chawki_d@yahoo.fr
Demailly
M
M
Tillou
X
X
Saint
Fabien
F
Petit
J
J
D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018239:Seminoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin