Misuse of tumor marker levels leads to an insufficient International Germ Cell Consensus Classification (IGCCCG) risk group assignment and impaired treatment.

Background: Metastatic germ cell tumors of the testis (GCTs) are risk-stratified according to the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) classification system. This risk classification is based on anatomical risk factors as well as tumor marker levels of AFP, HCG, and LDH assessed pre-chemotherapy after orchiectomy treatment. An incorrect classification is possible when pre-orchiectomy marker levels are used, possibly resulting in over- or undertreatment of patients.

Late toxicities and recurrences in patients with clinical stage I non-seminomatous germ cell tumours after 1 cycle of adjuvant bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin versus primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection - A 13-year follow-up analysis of a phase III trial cohort.

Background: One cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP) has shown superiority in recurrence-free survival over retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in patients with clinical stage (CS) I non-seminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCTs) of the testis in the setting of a phase III trial. We report the recurrences and late toxicities of this study after 13 years of follow-up.

Methods: Questionnaires from 382 patients with CS I NSGCT treated with 1 cycle of adjuvant BEP (arm A) or RPLND + two cycles of adjuvant BEP in cases of pathological stage II disease (arm B) were evaluated regarding recurrences and late toxicity.

Liquid Biopsy Using Whole Blood from Testis Tumor and Colon Cancer Patients-A New and Simple Way?

Tumor cells shed exosomes, which are released to the blood. Detecting tumor-derived exosomes containing RNA in plasma (liquid biopsy) is currently being investigated for early identification of occult metastases or relapses. Isolation of exosomes is laborious, resulting in low RNA yields.

Clinically apparent and occult metastasized seminoma: almost indistinguishable on the transcriptional level.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the biological differences between seminomas with occult and clinically apparent metastases at the time of diagnosis of the primary tumor to gain insight into the biology of these tumors and facilitate the identification of novel predictors of seminoma metastasis.

Materials And Methods: Total RNA including small RNAs was isolated from testicular tumors of patients with pure seminoma presenting with lymphogenic metastasis (n = 5, clinical stage IIb/c) and occult metastasis (n = 5, clinical stage I). The regulation of biological processes was examined (1) throughout the mRNA transcriptome (whole genome microarrays, 8×60 K Array, Agilent with 4 samples/group) and (2) the miRNA transcriptome employing small RNA next generation sequencing (SOLID, Life Technologies with 5 samples/group).

Small RNAs in the peripheral blood discriminate metastasized from non-metastasized seminoma.

Background: We aimed to better discriminate metastasized (lymphogen/occult/both combined) from non-metastasized seminoma based on post-transcriptional changes examined in the peripheral blood.

Methods: Total RNAs including small RNAs were isolated from the peripheral blood of patients suffering from metastasized testicular tumours (lymphogen, n = 5, clinical stage IIb/c; occult, n = 5, clinical stage I) and non-metastasized patients (n = 5, clinical stage I). Small RNA next generation sequencing (SOLID, Life Technologies) was employed to examine post-transcriptional changes.

A gene signature of primary tumor identifies metastasized seminoma.

Background: The aim of this study was the prediction of metastatic status in seminoma based on examination of the primary tumor.

Methods: Total RNA was isolated from metastasized seminoma (n = 10, T1N1-2M0), non-metastasized seminoma (n = 21, T1-3N0M0), and corresponding normal tissues. Pooled RNA from 10 biopsies of each tissue type was hybridized on whole genome microarrays for screening purposes.

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus group (EGCCCG): part I.

Objectives: The first consensus report presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in the year 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of the Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Methods: Medical oncologists, urological surgeons, radiation oncologists as well as pathologists from several European countries reviewed and discussed the data that had emerged since the 2002 conference, and incorporated the new data into updated and revised guidelines.

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG): part II.

Objectives: The first consensus report that had been presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of the Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands.

Methods: Medical oncologists, urologic surgeons, radiation oncologists as well as pathologists from several European countries reviewed and discussed the data that had emerged since the 2002 conference and incorporated the new data into updated and revised guidelines.

Correcting false gene expression measurements from degraded RNA using RTQ-PCR.

This paper describes a method allowing correcting false gene expression measured on highly degraded RNA using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTQ-PCR). RNA was isolated from different models (in vitro cell lines, in vivo models of human and dog) and different tissue types. In vitro RNA degradation and modeling of in vivo degradation were applied on intact and degraded total RNA.

Comparative analysis of different apoptosis detection methods in human testicular cancer.

In situ end-labeling (ISEL) of internucleosomal 3' DNA strand breaks and the morphological proof of nuclear chromatin condensation are two widely used methods to investigate and quantify apoptosis. However, it is still unclear whether both processes are linked with each other and if quantifying apoptosis by both methods leads to comparable results. Therefore, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation were measured simultaneously on double-fluorescence-labeled sections of 62 testicular tumors (47 nonseminomatous tumors and 15 seminomas) using immunofluorescence microscopy.

Imaging studies in the diagnosis of urogenital trauma.

Unlabelled: Polytraumatized patients often present with urological injuries. After hemodynamic stability is maintained urologists are consulted to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The following article describes how to handle the work-up of patients with injuries to specific urogenital organs: the importance of clinical examination, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), angiography as well as organ-specific radiologic studies such as intravenous pyelography or cystography are discussed.