Current and future biologic markers for disease progression and relapse in testicular germ cell tumors: a review

Abstract

Testicular germ cell tumors represent a biologically unique disease process. These tumors are exquisitely sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy, can be cured with surgical metastasectomy, and are known for the integration of biologic markers to stage and assign risk. Exploring further biologic markers that offer insight into the molecular mechanisms that contribute to disease biology is important. In this review, we attempt to summarize the utility of the current and some future biologic markers for disease monitoring and relapse.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; Biomarkers; Epigenetics; Gene profiling; Germ cell tumor; Serum tumor markers; Testicular cancer.