Defining a New Prognostic Index for Stage I Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors Using CXCL12 Expression and Proportion of Embryonal Carcinoma

摘要

Purpose: Up to 50% of patients diagnosed with stage I non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs) harbor occult metastases. Patients are managed by surveillance with chemotherapy at relapse or adjuvant treatment up front. Late toxicities from chemotherapy are increasingly recognized. Based on a potential biologic role in germ cells/tumors and pilot data, our aim was to evaluate tumor expression of the chemokine CXCL12 alongside previously proposed markers as clinically useful biomarkers of relapse.