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 9
(a) Frequencies of elevated marker levels in relapsing patients
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
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 [%]
at diagnosis
all patients
422
160 (37.9%)
108 (25.6)
139 (32.9)
67 (15.9%)
73 (17.3%)
46 (10.9%)
30 (7.1%)
201 (47.6%)
251 (59.5%)
33.3 - 42.8
21.6 - 30.1
28.5 - 37.7
12.6 - 19.8
13.9 - 21.3
8.2 - 14.4
4.9 - 10.1
42.8 - 52.5
54.6 - 64.2
no relapse
390
151 (38.7%)
100 (25.6)
130 (33.3)
61 (15.6%)
70 (17.9%)
43 (11.0%)
28 (7.2%)
190 (48.7%)
235 (60.3%)
33.9 - 43.8
21.4 - 30.3
28.7 - 38.3
12.3 - 19.7
14.3 - 22.2
8.2 - 14.7
4.9 - 10.3
43.7 - 53.8
55.2 - 65.1
later relapse
32
9 (28.1%)
8 (25.0%)
9 (28.1%)
6 (18.8%)
3 (9.4%)
3 (9.4%)
2 (6.3%)
11 (34.4%)
16 (50.0%)
14.4 - 47.0
12.1 - 43.8
14.4 - 47.0
7.9 - 37.0
2.5 - 26.2
2.5 - 26.2
1.1 - 22.2
19.2 - 53.2
32.2 - 67.8
p-
0.2351
0.9363
0.5405
0.6436
0.2157
0.7698
0.8412
0.1184
0.2559
at relapse
yes
27
7 (25.9%)
6 (22.2%)
8 (29.6%)
4 (14.8%)
3 (11.1%)
4 (14.8%)
3 (11.1%)
9 (33.3%)
13 (48.1%)
11.9 - 46.6
9.4 - 42.7
14.5 - 50.3
4.9 - 34.6
2.9 - 30.3
4.9 - 34.6
2.9 - 30.3
17.2 - 54.0
29.2 - 67.6
p-
0.5271
0.3173
10.000
0.4142
10.000
0.6547
0.5637
0.4795
0.5271
Chi square-Test for comparison of marker expression rates among relapsing patients and those without relapse Mc-Nemar-Test for comparison of marker expression rates of relapsing patients at different time points.
(b) Marker levels of nonseminoma patients with relapse
bHCG [x-fold of ULN]
AFP [x-fold of ULN]
LDH [x-fold of ULN]
n
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
Min
Median (Q1 - Q3)
Max
at diagnosis
not relapsing
157
0.03
1.39 (0.45 - 19.18)
749063.67
0.10
1.93 (0.53 - 12.66)
1630.46
0.55
0.90 (0.77 - 1.11)
17.00
later relapsing
11
0.34
0.67 (0.41 - 16.78)
6347.41
0.24
2.56 (0.36 - 16.79)
5906.58
0.69
0.96 (0.79 - 1.16)
2.39
p-value a
0.8799
0.9030
0.7715
at relapse
patients with relapse
10
0.34
0.45 (0.41 - 3.28)
229.51
0.14
0.49 (0.39 - 9.54)
49.88
0.62
0.97 (0.88 - 1.06)
1.77
Mann-Whitney U Test for comparison of median serum marker levels.