Comparison between free β subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and total hCG assays in adults with testicular cancer.
free βhCG
human chorionic gonadotropin
non-seminomatous germ cell tumour
seminoma
testicular cancer
tumour marker
Journal
Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine
ISSN: 1437-4331
Titre abrégé: Clin Chem Lab Med
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 9806306
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
26 09 2023
26 09 2023
Historique:
received:
18
09
2022
accepted:
11
04
2023
medline:
21
8
2023
pubmed:
20
4
2023
entrez:
20
04
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
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. 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. 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. 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.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37078204
pii: cclm-2022-1240
doi: 10.1515/cclm-2022-1240
doi:
Substances chimiques
Chorionic Gonadotropin
0
Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human
0
Types de publication
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1841-1849Informations de copyright
© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
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