Biological markers of cisplatin resistance in advanced testicular germ cell tumours

Introduction Germ cell tumours (GCTs) of the testis show exquisite sensitivity to treatment with cisplatin. Despite the high cure rates provided by platinum-based chemotherapy, 10–20% of patients die from progressive disease. Although various cellular pathways may influence cisplatin efficacy, their actual impact has not been comprehensively investigated in advanced GCTs. The objective of the present study was to clarify the role of the expression status of proteins involved in the Rb and p53 tumour suppressor pathways in sensitivity and resistance of GCTs to cisplatinbased chemotherapy.