Biomarkers of disease recurrence in stage I testicular germ cell tumours

Nat Rev Urol. 2022 Nov;19(11):637-658. doi: 10.1038/s41585-022-00624-y. Epub 2022 Aug 26.

Abstract

Stage I testicular cancer is a disease restricted to the testicle. After orchiectomy, patients are considered to be without disease; however, the tumour is prone to relapse in ~4-50% of patients. Current predictive markers of relapse, which are tumour size and invasion to rete testis (in seminoma) or lymphovascular invasion (in non-seminoma), have limited clinical utility and are unable to correctly predict relapse in a substantial proportion of patients. Adjuvant therapeutic strategies based on available biomarkers can lead to overtreatment of 50-85% of patients. Discovery and implementation of novel biomarkers into treatment decision making will help to reduce the burden of adjuvant treatments and improve patient selection for adjuvant therapy.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnosis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Orchiectomy
  • Testicular Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Testicular Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Testicular Neoplasms* / therapy

Substances

  • Biomarkers

Supplementary concepts

  • Testicular Germ Cell Tumor