THE VALUE OF AFP AND HCG HALF-LIVES IN PREDICTING THE EFFICACY OF COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH NON-SEMINOMATOUS GERM-CELL TUMORS OF THE TESTIS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 2  (1-2) , 129-134
Abstract
The decline of serum levels of AFP [.alpha.-fetoprotein] or HCG [human chorionic gonadotropin] in 26 patients with disseminated non-seminomatous germ cell tumors during chemotherapy showed the following 2 different patterns: a linear decline or an increasing apparent half-life (AHL). The initial AFP half-life in 13 patients with a linear decline was 7.2 .+-. 1.8 days, and did not differ from the initial half-life in 5 patients with a curvi-linear pattern. HCG half-life was 3.0 .+-. 0.5 days in 10 patients with a linear AHL, and was not different from the initial half-life in 6 patients with delayed marker disappearance. Based on the half-life pattern of AFP or HCG, the result of chemotherapy was predicted. When AFP or HCG showed a linear decline, all viable tumor appeared to be eliminated in 38 and 40%, respectively, of the patients. An increasing AHL indicated the presence of active tumor, mostly mature teratoma, in 60% of the patients with AF and in 83% of the patients with HCG. Thus, the pattern of AFP or HCG half-life does not predict the eventual outcome of chemotherapy with certainty.