Integrating Classical Tumor Markers and Systemic Inflammatory Indices for Enhanced Biological Profiling in Testicular...

Objective This study aimed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic significance of integrating classical tumor markers, including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), with inflammatory hematological indices, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and mean platelet volume-to-platelet ratio (MPV/PLT), in patients with testicular neoplasms. Materials and methods This retrospective study included 85 patients with histologically confirmed testicular tumors (48 seminomas and 37 nonseminomas). Preoperative serum AFP, β-HCG, and LDH levels were analyzed along with the complete blood count parameters. The derived inflammatory indices (NLR and MPV/PLT) were calculated. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and correlations between tumor markers and inflammatory indices were assessed using Spearman's analysis. Results The mean age did not differ significantly between the seminoma (37.5 ± 10.1 years) and non-seminoma (35.3 ± 9.2 years) groups (p > 0.05). Serum AFP and β-HCG levels were markedly elevated in non-seminoma patients (AFP: 87.24 ± 28.29 ng/mL vs. 2.58 ± 0.27 ng/mL; β-HCG: 81.45 ± 31 IU/L vs. 2.55 ± 0.76 IU/L, p < 0.01 for both). LDH levels exhibited a similar trend. Inflammatory indices (NLR and MPV/PLT) were higher in non-seminoma cases and showed positive correlations with AFP and β-HCG, suggesting a link between systemic inflammation and tumor activity. Conclusion Combining classical tumor markers with simple hematological indices offers an expanded perspective on the tumor biology of testicular cancer. NLR and MPV/PLT may serve as complementary markers for tumor aggressiveness and systemic inflammatory response, potentially improving risk stratification and follow-up strategies.