The use of tumor markers in germ cell malignancies.

Serum tumor markers, including alphafetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin, are critical to the choice of therapy and monitoring of patients with germ cell tumors. i(12p) is a specific chromosomal marker for germ cell tumors that is diagnostically useful, of possible prognostic importance, and detectable by both conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques. A variety of other molecular genetic markers are under study, in order to contribute to the understanding of normal and aberrant differentiation and to understand their relevance as tumor markers.