title: Testicular germ cell tumors:  biology and clinical update.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This overview discusses several important developments in testicular germ cell tumors in the past year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genomic studies continue to investigate gene expression as possible markers for disease relapse and chemotherapy resistance. Optimal treatment strategies for early-stage seminomas are evolving toward surveillance versus chemotherapy and away from radiation, and the role of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in disseminated nonseminomatous cancers in complete remission is becoming less certain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment and surveillance paradigms continue to be defined and refined for both early and late-stage disease as research in these areas continues and the data from multiple large studies mature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. hmannuel@umm.edu
authors.forename: Heather D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Mannuel
authors.forename: Nirupama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitikiri
authors.forename: Maleha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D012307:Risk Factors; D018239:Seminoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy