Serum estradiol as a tumour marker for non-seminomatous germinal cell tumours (NSGCT) of the testis.

Radioimmunoassay (RIA) determinations of serum alphafetoprotein (AFP), beta human chorionic gonadotropin (BHCG) and estradiol (E2) levels have been made at various stages of the disease in 52 patients with testicular carcinoma. In non-seminomatous tumours of the testis, E2 has been found to be a highly specific tumour marker, helping to reduce clinical staging error. Increases in serum E2 levels have been observed in all patients with HCG-secreting tumours, but E2 has indicated tumour recurrence alone in 4 patients with normal AFP and BHCG levels. Gynecomastia, always accompanied by a rise in serum E2 and BHCG levels has been a bad prognostic sign. E2 had no significance as a marker in seminomatous tumours.