Heterophile Antibody Interference led to Unneeded Chemotherapy in a Testicular Cancer Patient.
Human heterophile antibodies may develop after infection or contact with animal tissues or animal serum products. These antibodies have the capacity to bind to the animal immunoglobulins used in immunoassays leading to erroneous results. We here report a case of a testicular germ cell tumor patient who developed heterophile antibodies during the surveillance period of his disease. Following false-positive results of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) he received unneeded chemotherapy. This article also stresses the problem of using serum tumor markers without no major imaging abnormalities to diagnose a patients' relapse.
Department of Medical Oncology, APREC (Alliance Pour la Recherche En Cancérologie), Hospital Tenon (Public Assistance - Paris Hospitals, AP-HP), 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris Cedex 20, France.
Daniele G
DG
Soares
Department of Biochemistry, Hospital Tenon (Public Assistance - Paris Hospitals, AP-HP), 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris Cedex 20, France.
Françoise
F
Millot
Cerba laboratory, 95066 Cergy Pontoise Cedex 9, France.
Isabelle
I
Lacroix
Department of Medical Oncology, APREC (Alliance Pour la Recherche En Cancérologie), Hospital Tenon (Public Assistance - Paris Hospitals, AP-HP), 4, rue de la Chine, 75970 Paris Cedex 20, France; Sorbonne Universities, University Pierre et Marie Curie (IUC-UPMC Univ. Paris 06), France.
Jean-Pierre
JP
Lotz
Chemotherapy; Germ cell tumors; Heterophile antibodies; Human chorionic gonadotropin; Testicular cancer