Circulating tumor markers (β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG), alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP), and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)) are frequently used for monitoring disease recurrence in TGCT patients, though they lack diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.
Classical biomarkers α-fetoprotein, β-human chorionic gonadotropin and lactate dehydrogenase (AFP, bHCG and LDH) are elevated in only 60% of all testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) patients. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of useful biomarkers in cancer and miRNAs of the miR-371-3 cluster were proven to be valuable markers for TGCT patients.
A human testicular germ cell tumor with borderline histology between seminoma and embryonal carcinoma secreted beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein only as a xenograft.