The role of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes as tumor markers for testicular germ cell tumors.

Abstract

The role of serum alkaline phosphatase as a tumor marker for testicular germ cell disease was investigated in 26 patients with testicular seminoma and 13 with nonseminomatous germ cell testis tumors. Placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme was elevated in 50% of the stage I seminoma patients and in all patients with stages II to III disease. In addition, liver (tissue unspecific) alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 10 and 83% of the patients, respectively. Lactic dehydrogenase and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) were detected in 50 to 60% of the patients with stage I seminoma. By combining placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme, lactic dehydrogenase and beta-HCG, 75% of the stage I and 100% of the stages II and III seminoma patients could be identified correctly. Placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme in serum also occurred with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor but less frequently, while liver alkaline phosphatase was not detected at all. Thus, placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme and liver alkaline phosphatase were predominantly determined in the serum of patients with seminoma. In studies of tumor tissues from 31 of these patients, those with normal serum placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme levels had significantly lower tissue placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme levels than patients with elevated serum levels (p less than 0.01). Seminoma tissues showed significantly higher levels of placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme and liver alkaline phosphatase than nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (p less than 0.01), explaining the infrequent elevation of serum placental alkaline phosphatase-like enzyme and liver alkaline phosphatase found in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

• Authors: K Koshida, A Nishino, H Yamamoto, T Uchibayashi, K Naito, H Hisazumi, K Hirano, Y Hayashi, B Wahren, L Andersson
• Journal: The Journal of urology (J Urol) Vol. 146 Issue 1 Pg. 57-60 (Jul 1991) ISSN: 0022-5347 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1711586 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Chorionic Gonadotropin
• Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human
• GPI-Linked Proteins
• Isoenzymes
• Peptide Fragments
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
• Alkaline Phosphatase
• alkaline phosphatase, placental

Topics

• Alkaline Phosphatase (blood)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood)
• Chorionic Gonadotropin (blood)
• Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human
• Clinical Enzyme Tests (methods)
• Dysgerminoma (diagnosis, pathology)
• GPI-Linked Proteins
• Humans
• Isoenzymes (blood)
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase (blood)
• Liver (enzymology)
• Male
• Neoplasm Staging
• Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal (diagnosis, pathology)
• Peptide Fragments (blood)
• Teratoma (diagnosis, pathology)
• Testicular Neoplasms (diagnosis, pathology)