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Pretorius CJ, Wilgen U, Klingberg S, Zournazi A, Sanders L, Ungerer JPJ. Comparison between free β subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and total hCG assays in adults with testicular cancer. Clin Chem Lab Med 2023; 61:1841-1849. [PMID: 37078204 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2022-1240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We tested the hypothesis that the free-β subunit (βhCG) is diagnostically more sensitive with total hCG assays (hCGt) not detecting all tumours secreting βhCG. The effects of sex, age, and renal failure were investigated as secondary objectives. METHODS We compared βhCG with hCGt in 204 testicular cancer patients (99 seminomas, 105 non-seminonatous germ cell tumours). The effects of sex and age were determined in 125 male and 138 female controls and that of renal failure was investigated in 119 haemodialysis patients. Biochemical assessment of gonadal status was performed with LH, FSH, oestradiol and testosterone. RESULTS Discordant results were common with isolated increases of hCGt observed in 32 (15.7 %) and βhCG in 14 (6.9 %) patients. Primary hypogonadism was the most common cause of isolated hCGt increases. After therapeutic interventions βhCG decreased below its upper reference more rapidly than hCGt. We observed unequivocal false negative results in two patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumours. Both occurred in patients with clinical tumour recurrences; in one instance we observed a false negative hCGt while in the second false negative βhCG's were documented in serial samples. CONCLUSIONS The similar false negative rates did not support the hypothesis that βhCG will detect more patients with testicular cancer than hCGt. In contrast to hCGt, βhCG was unaffected by primary hypogonadism which is a predictably frequent complication in testicular cancer patients. We therefore recommend βhCG as the preferred biomarker in testicular cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carel J Pretorius
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Urs Wilgen
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sandra Klingberg
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Anna Zournazi
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Linda Sanders
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Jacobus P J Ungerer
- Chemical Pathology, Pathology Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Al-Ezzi EM, Zahralliyali A, Hansen AR, Hamilton RJ, Crump M, Kuruvilla J, Wood L, Nappi L, Kollmannsberger CK, North SA, Winquist E, Soulières D, Hotte SJ, Jiang DM. The Use of Salvage Chemotherapy for Patients with Relapsed Testicular Germ Cell Tumor (GCT) in Canada: A National Survey. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:6166-6176. [PMID: 37504318 PMCID: PMC10378146 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30070458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although metastatic germ cell tumor (GCT) is highly curable with initial cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CT), 20-30% of patients relapse. Salvage CT options include conventional (CDCT) and high dose chemotherapy (HDCT), however definitive comparative data remain lacking. We aimed to characterize the contemporary practice patterns of salvage CT across Canada. METHODS We conducted a 30-question online survey for Canadian medical and hematological oncologists with experience in treating GCT, assessing treatment availability, patient selection, and management strategies used for relapsed GCT patients. RESULTS There were 30 respondents from 18 cancer centers across eight provinces. The most common CDCT regimens used were TIP (64%) and VIP (25%). HDCT was available in 13 centers (70%). The HDCT regimen used included carboplatin and etoposide for two cycles (76% in 7 centers), three cycles (6% in 2 centers), and the TICE protocol (11%, in 2 centers). "Bridging" CDCT was used by 65% of respondents. Post-HDCT treatments considered include surgical resection for residual disease (87.5%), maintenance etoposide (6.3%), and surveillance only (6.3%). CONCLUSIONS HDCT is the most commonly used GCT salvage strategy in Canada. Significant differences exist in the treatment availability, selection, and delivery of HDCT, highlighting the need for standardization of care for patients with relapsed testicular GCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmail M Al-Ezzi
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Amer Zahralliyali
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Aaron R Hansen
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Division of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Brisbane, QLD 4113, Australia
| | - Robert J Hamilton
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Michael Crump
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - John Kuruvilla
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Lori Wood
- Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Lucia Nappi
- Department of Medicine, British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Christian K Kollmannsberger
- Department of Medicine, British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Scott A North
- Division of Medical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Eric Winquist
- Department of Oncology, London Health Sciences Centre, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Denis Soulières
- Département Hématologie-Oncologie, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada
| | - Sebastien J Hotte
- Juravinski Cancer Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Di Maria Jiang
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
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Ferraro S, Panteghini M. More robust analytical evidence should support the selection of human chorionic gonadotropin assays for oncology application. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 58:e61-e63. [DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2019-0973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Ferraro
- UOC Patologia Clinica , Ospedale “Luigi Sacco” , Via GB Grassi 74 , 20157 Milan , Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “Luigi Sacco” , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Mauro Panteghini
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “Luigi Sacco” , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
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