Germ cell neoplasia in situ: The precursor cell for invasive germ cell tumors of the testis

Cassy M Spiller; Josephine Bowles

doi:10.1016/j.biocel.2017.03.004

Germ cell neoplasia in situ: The precursor cell for invasive germ cell tumors of the testis

Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2017 May:86:22-25. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.03.004. Epub 2017 Mar 10.

Authors

Cassy M Spiller¹, Josephine Bowles²

Affiliations

¹ School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
² School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. Electronic address: jo.bowles@uq.edu.au.

PMID: 28288913
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.03.004

Abstract

Germ cell neoplasia in situ is the non-invasive precursor cell of origin for type II testicular germ cell tumors. It has long been postulated that germ cell neoplasia in situ is derived from defective germ cell development during embryonic life, and although it is impossible to trace in vivo the progression from fetal germ cell to germ cell neoplasia in situ to tumor, there is a large volume of evidence supporting this theory. Current studies focus on understanding how germ cell neoplasia in situ forms, how these cells are activated at puberty and how they transform to invasive tumors of various subtypes. Such information is informing novel diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Keywords: Germ cell neoplasia in situ; Testicular germ cell tumor; Testis.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
Humans
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / pathology*
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / therapy
Risk Factors
Testicular Neoplasms / pathology*
Testicular Neoplasms / therapy

Supplementary concepts

Testicular Germ Cell Tumor