The value of AFP and HCG half lives in predicting the efficacy of combination chemotherapy in patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis.

Abstract

The decline of serum levels of AFP or HCG in 26 patients with disseminated non-seminomatous germ cell tumors during chemotherapy showed two different patterns: a linear decline or an increasing apparent half life (AHL). The initial AFP half life in 13 patients with a linear decline was 7.2 +/- 1.8 days, and did not differ from the initial half life in 5 patients with a curvi-linear pattern. HCG half life was 3.0 +/- 0.5 days in 10 patients with a linear AHL, and was not different from the initial half life in 6 patients with delayed marker disappearance. Based on the half life pattern of AFP or HCG the result of chemotherapy was predicted. When AFP or HCG showed a linear decline, all viable tumor appeared to be eliminated in 38 and 40% respectively of the patients. An increasing AHL indicated the presence of active tumor, mostly mature teratoma, in 60% of the patients with AFP and in 83% of the patients with HCG. Thus, the pattern of AFP or HCG half life does not predict the eventual outcome of chemotherapy with certainty.

• Authors: P H Willemse, D T Sleijfer, H Schraffordt Koops, H W De Bruijn, J W Oosterhuis, T M Brouwers, T Ockhuizen, J Marrink
• Journal: Oncodevelopmental biology and medicine : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine (Oncodev Biol Med) Vol. 2 Issue 1-2 Pg. 129-34 ( 1981) ISSN: 0167-1618 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 6170953 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Chorionic Gonadotropin
• alpha-Fetoproteins

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Chorionic Gonadotropin (blood)
• Clinical Laboratory Techniques
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Half-Life
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Teratoma (blood, drug therapy)
• Testicular Neoplasms (blood, drug therapy)
• alpha-Fetoproteins (analysis)