Elevated lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 as a tumour marker in patients with germ cell testicular tumours

In a series of 50 patients with testicular tumours evaluated prior to orchidectomy, 12 out of 19 with pure seminoma and seven out of 31 with non-seminomatous or mixed seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell tumours had elevated plasma lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 concentrations. In contrast, seven of the 19 seminoma patients had elevated serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) concentrations and 25 of the 31 non-seminomatous and mixed seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell tumour patients had elevations of hCG and/or alpha-fetoprotein. Using these three markers, 12 out of 19 seminoma patients and 27 out of 31 non-seminomatous or mixed seminomatous and non-seminomatous tumour patients were positive for one or more of these tumour markers.