Relevance of biochemical tumor markers and lymphadenectomy in management of non-seminomatous testis tumors: current perspective.

Radioimmunoassay determinations of the biochemical tumor markers, alpha-fetoprotein or human chorionic gonadotropin, revealed elevated serum levels in 94 per cent of the patients with advanced disease. No falsely positive values have been observed. The markers are useful in monitoring the response to therapy and, when persistently elevated after therapy, indicate the presence of residual malignant tumor, usually embryonal carcinoma. However, they have a more limited role in the management and followup of the great majority of new patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis (stages A and B) owing to a falsely negative incidence of 38 per cent in patients found to have retroperitoneal metastases at lymphadenectomy. Furthermore, marker levels obtained during chemotherapy, even in the presence of residual tumor, frequently are normal. Thus, they have a limited role in the early detection of residual disease in patients treated systematically with prophylactic chemotherapy. A meticulous retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy remains the single most important factor in dictating the use of adjuvant chemotherapy, the specific agent and the combination and duration of therapy. The prophylactic use of actinomycin D in stage A and the early aggressive use of vinblastine sulfate and bleomycin in stage B2 have reduced the incidence of recurrence substantially. A prospective plan of management used in 95 consecutive patients since 1974 has resulted in survival free of tumor of 100 per cent for patients with stage A disease, 91 per cent for stage B and 61 per cent for stage C.