Testicular Cancer

Reports outline testicular cancer research from J. Ellinger and colleagues

Testicular Cancer Library Library Home This article was published in Clinical Oncology Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"Hypermethylation at APC, GSTP1, PTGS2, p14(ARF), p16(INK) and PASSF1A was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction following methylation sensitive restriction endonuclease treatment in 73 patients with testicular cancer and 35 healthy individuals. Hypermethylation was more common in patients with testicular cancer than in healthy individuals, including APC 57% and 6%, p16(INK) 53% and 17%, p14(ARF) 53% and 0%, RASSF1A 47% and 0%, PTGS2 45% and 0%, and GSTP1 25% and 0%, respectively (each p<0.01). Methylation frequencies at the investigated gene sites were similar in nonseminoma and seminoma cases (p >0.05). Diagnostic information was increased when multiple gene sites were analyzed in combination (ROC AUC 0.834, 67% sensitivity and 97% specificity). Diagnostic information was superior to the analysis of AFP/HCG/PLAP/LDH (combined sensitivity 58% and AUC 0.791). The sensitivity of hypermethylation in patients with unsuspicious conventional tumor markers was 71% (AUC 0.871, 97% specificity). Hypermethylation at PTGS2 was more common in patients with pT1 stage tumors (p = 0.011). The detection of hypermethylated cell-free serum DNA has the potential of a useful additional diagnostic parameter in patients with testicular germ cell cancer," wrote J. Ellinger and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Furthermore, in cases without conventional tumor marker increases testing CpG island hypermethylation in cell-free circulation DNA may improve the ability to detect early and/or recurrent testicular cancer.."

Ellinger and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Urology (CpG Island Hypermethylation of Cell-Free Circulating Serum DNA in Patients With Testicular Cancer. Journal of Urology, 2009;182(1):324-329).

For additional information, contact J. Ellinger, University of Klinikum Bonn, Klin & Poliklin Urology, Sigmund Freud Str 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Urology is: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.

Keywords: Germany, Bonn, DNA, Diagnosis, Diagnostics, Endonucleases, Enzyme Research, Enzymology, Neoplasms, Oncology, Polymerase, Seminoma, Testicular Cancer, Testicular Diseases, Testicular Neoplasm, Urology.

This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.