Serum Tumour Markers in Testicular Germ Cell Tumours: Frequencies of Elevated Levels and Extents of Marker Elevation Are Significantly Associated with Clinical Parameters and with Response to Treatment
Table 6
(a) Frequencies of elevated marker levels rates in age groups
bHCG elevated
AFP elevated
LDH elevated
bHCG and AFP elevated
bHCG and LDH elevated
AFP and LDH elevated
bHCG, AFP and LDH elevated
bHCG or AFP elevated
bHCG, AFP or LDH elevated
Age categories (years)
N
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
n (%)
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
95% CI [%]
All GCT
<=20
18
13 (72.2%)
14 (77.8%)
9 (50.0%)
12 (66.7%)
7 (38.9%)
8 (44.4%)
7 (38.9%)
15 (83.3%)
16 (88.9%)
46.4 - 89.3
51.9 - 92.6
26.8 - 73.2
41.2 - 85.6
18.3 - 63.9
22.4 - 68.7
18.3 - 63.9
57.7 - 95.6
63.9 - 98.1
>20-30
86
47 (54.7%)
29 (33.7%)
25 (29.1%)
22 (25.6%)
14 (16.3%)
8 (9.3%)
6 (7.0%)
54 (62.8%)
63 (73.3%)
43.6 - 65.3
24.1 - 44.8
20.0 - 40.0
17.1 - 36.3
9.5 - 26.1
4.4 - 18.0
2.9 - 15.1
51.6 - 72.8
62.4 - 82.0
>30-40
159
51 (32.1%)
44 (27.7%)
53 (33.3%)
22 (13.8%)
27 (17.0%)
20 (12.6%)
13 (8.2%)
73 (45.9%)
92 (57.9%)
25.0 - 40.0
21.0 - 35.4
26.2 - 41.3
9.1 - 20.4
11.7 - 23.9
8.0 - 19.0
4.6 - 13.9
38.1 - 54.0
49.8 - 65.6
>40-50
110
36 (32.7%)
12 (10.9%)
38 (34.5%)
7 (6.4%)
19 (17.3%)
7 (6.4%)
3 (2.7%)
41 (37.3%)
56 (50.9%)
24.3 - 42.4
6.0 - 18.6
25.9 - 44.3
2.8 - 13.1
11.0 - 25.9
2.8 - 13.1
0.7 - 8.4
28.4 - 47.1
41.3 - 60.5
>50
49
13 (26.5%)
9 (18.4%)
14 (28.6%)
4 (8.2%)
6 (12.2%)
3 (6.1%)
1 (2.0%)
18 (36.7%)
24 (49.0%)
15.4 - 41.3
9.2 - 32.5
17.0 - 43.5
2.6 - 20.5
5.1 - 25.5
1.6 - 17.9
0.1 - 12.2
23.8 - 51.7
34.6 - 63.5
p-
<.0001
<.0001
0.4679
<.0001
0.1468
<.0001
<.0001
<.0001
0.0008
nonseminoma
<=20
17
12 (70.6%)
14 (82.4%)
9 (52.9%)
12 (70.6%)
7 (41.2%)
8 (47.1%)
7 (41.2%)
14 (82.4%)
15 (88.2%)
44.0 - 88.6
55.8 - 95.3
28.5 - 76.1
44.0 - 88.6
19.4 - 66.5
23.9 - 71.5
19.4 - 66.5
55.8 - 95.3
62.3 - 97.9
>20-30
63
36 (57.1%)
29 (46.0%)
19 (30.2%)
22 (34.9%)
10 (15.9%)
8 (12.7%)
6 (9.5%)
43 (68.3%)
50 (79.4%)
44.1 - 69.3
33.6 - 59.0
19.6 - 43.2
23.6 - 48.1
8.3 - 27.7
6.0 - 24.0
3.9 - 20.2
55.2 - 79.1
67.0 - 88.1
>30-40
58
26 (44.8%)
40 (69.0%)
24 (41.4%)
21 (36.2%)
15 (25.9%)
18 (31.0%)
12 (20.7%)
45 (77.6%)
48 (82.8%)
32.0 - 58.4
55.3 - 80.1
28.9 - 55.0
24.3 - 49.9
15.6 - 39.3
19.9 - 44.7
11.6 - 33.7
64.4 - 87.1
70.1 - 91.0
>40-50
19
10 (52.6%)
10 (52.6%)
10 (52.6%)
7 (36.8%)
5 (26.3%)
6 (31.6%)
3 (15.8%)
13 (68.4%)
15 (78.9%)
29.5 - 74.8
29.5 - 74.8
29.5 - 74.8
17.2 - 61.4
10.1 - 51.4
13.6 - 56.5
4.2 - 40.5
43.5 - 86.4
53.9 - 93.0
>50
11
5 (45.5%)
8 (72.7%)
3 (27.3%)
4 (36.4%)
2 (18.2%)
2 (18.2%)
1 (9.1%)
9 (81.8%)
9 (81.8%)
18.1 - 75.4
39.3 - 92.7
7.3 - 60.7
12.4 - 68.4
3.2 - 52.2
3.2 - 52.2
0.5 - 42.9
47.8 - 96.8
47.8 - 96.8
p-
0.3604
0.0190
0.1771
0.0990
0.2352
0.0214
0.0343
0.6047
0.9320
Chi square test for comparison of groups.
(b) Extent of marker elevation in relation to age
bHCG [x-fold of ULN]
AFP [x-fold of ULN]
LDH [x-fold of ULN]
Age categories (years)
n (%)
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
Nonseminoma
<=20
17 (10.1%)
0.41
4.89 (0.94 - 30.23)
11290.83
0.25
5.33 (1.53 - 29.11)
1596.20
0.57
1.07 (0.86 - 1.21)
4.08
>20-30
63 (37.5%)
0.21
2.08 (0.45 - 64.54)
749063.67
0.10
0.89 (0.27 - 12.20)
1290.83
0.55
0.89 (0.75 - 1.04)
17.00
>30-40
58 (34.5%)
0.03
0.65 (0.45 - 12.41)
130974.14
0.13
2.34 (0.60 - 19.54)
1630.46
0.59
0.88 (0.78 - 1.11)
3.81
>40-50
19 (11.3%)
0.34
1.31 (0.41 - 6.78)
113.11
0.13
3.47 (0.62 - 11.83)
5906.58
0.69
1.17 (0.89 - 1.43)
9.32
>50
11 (6.5%)
0.04
0.56 (0.21 - 4.15)
30.00
0.43
2.20 (0.93 - 68.14)
277.50
0.65
0.89 (0.82 - 1.05)
2.71
p-
0.0947
0.0498
0.0800
All GCT
<=20
18 (4.3%)
0.41
4.47 (0.94 - 30.23)
11290.83
0.11
4.93 (1.03 - 29.11)
1596.20
0.57
1.03 (0.84 - 1.21)
4.08
>20-30
86 (20.4%)
0.03
1.52 (0.45 - 25.13)
749063.67
0.08
0.39 (0.22 - 2.86)
1290.83
0.55
0.89 (0.72 - 1.04)
17.00
>30-40
159 (37.7%)
0.03
0.45 (0.41 - 1.76)
130974.14
0.08
0.36 (0.22 - 1.18)
1630.46
0.01
0.89 (0.73 - 1.11)
8.40
>40-50
110 (26.1%)
0.03
0.45 (0.41 - 1.58)
113.11
0.05
0.39 (0.26 - 0.59)
5906.58
0.57
0.89 (0.81 - 1.16)
9.32
>50
49 (11.6%)
0.03
0.45 (0.41 - 1.00)
30.00
0.17
0.47 (0.30 - 0.75)
277.50
0.03
0.89 (0.76 - 1.03)
2.71
p-
<.0001
0.0014
0.0960
Kruskal Wallis-Test for comparisons of groups; ULN upper limit of norm; min lowest marker level in this group; max highest marker level in this group; Q1 first quartile; Q3 third quartile.
