TY - JOUR
T1 - Alpha-fetoprotein surge following high-dose chemotherapy in germ cell tumours
AU - Luca Burgio, Salvatore
AU - Menna, Cecilia
AU - Papiani, Giorgio
AU - Casadei Gardini, Andrea
AU - De Luigi, Nicoletta
AU - Corsi, Roberto
AU - Rosti, Giovanni
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - In patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCTs) who receive chemotherapy and have residual disease, a persistently elevated serum marker level after induction chemotherapy indicates active and progressive disease. High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is the standard treatment for patients with relapsed NSGCT. We present a case of a patient with residual disease from NSGCT who showed an increase in serum alpha-fetoprotein levels after HDCT, mimicking progression. Resection of the mass did not show viable cells in the tumour specimen, thus suggesting that the elevated level of the marker was expression of hepatic reconstitution after drug-induced liver damage. HDCT is increasingly used in cases of relapsed NSGCT, and the possibility of treatment-induced alpha-fetoprotein elevation must be taken into account in patient management.
AB - In patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCTs) who receive chemotherapy and have residual disease, a persistently elevated serum marker level after induction chemotherapy indicates active and progressive disease. High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is the standard treatment for patients with relapsed NSGCT. We present a case of a patient with residual disease from NSGCT who showed an increase in serum alpha-fetoprotein levels after HDCT, mimicking progression. Resection of the mass did not show viable cells in the tumour specimen, thus suggesting that the elevated level of the marker was expression of hepatic reconstitution after drug-induced liver damage. HDCT is increasingly used in cases of relapsed NSGCT, and the possibility of treatment-induced alpha-fetoprotein elevation must be taken into account in patient management.
KW - Alpha-fetoprotein levels
KW - Germ cell tumour
KW - High-dose chemotherapy
KW - Progressive disease
KW - Residual mass
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875408145&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84875408145&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1179/1973947812Y.0000000044
DO - 10.1179/1973947812Y.0000000044
M3 - Article
C2 - 23684360
AN - SCOPUS:84875408145
VL - 25
SP - 119
EP - 122
JO - Journal of Chemotherapy
JF - Journal of Chemotherapy
SN - 1120-009X
IS - 2
ER -