Grenzen der tumormarkerorientierten Verlaufskontrolle beim chemotherapierten, metastasierenden, nicht-seminomatösen Hodentumor

Determinations of the biochemical tumor markers, Α-fetoprotein (AFP) and Β-human chorionic gonadotropin (Β-HCG) gained much importance in respect to staging and follow-up examination of patients presenting with testicular cancer. After cytostatic chemotherapy the reliability of tumor markers is diminished. Retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RLA) was done in 60 patients after chemotherapy. Tumor marker elevation was found only in 52% of the patients showing retroperitoneal carcinoma (n = 25).