Laboratory markers and germ cell tumors

The International Germ Cell Consensus Classification (IGCCC) of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) in 1997 included three serum tumor markers, serum lactate dehydrogenase catalytic concentration (S-LD), serum alpha fetoprotein concentration (S-AFP), and serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentration (S-hCG). The recommendation should be implemented for all patients with TGCT and is also useful for patients with ovarian and extragonadal germ cell tumors. A fourth serum tumor marker for TGCT, S-LD isoenzyme 1 (S-LD-1), is also relevant for TGCT. Patients with seminoma have a raised S-LD-1 more often than a raised S-AFP and S-hCG, whereas patients with nonseminoma have a raised S-AFP more often than a raised S-LD-1 and S-hCG. A new model combining IGCCC and S-LD-1 predicts survival better than previous staging systems. LD-1 is related to a characteristic chromosomal abnormality in all types of TGCT, a high copy number of chromosome 12p. In contrast, AFP and hCG are found mainly in nonseminomatous germ cell tumors and they related to the histologic differentiation of the tumors. The different biologic background for the serum tumor markers may contribute to the difference in their clinical behavior.