Immunohistochemical and radioimmunological determination of beta-HCG and pregnancy-specific beta 1-protein in seminomas.

38 pure and 11 mixed seminomas were studied with the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase method for the presence of chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) and pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1). HCG was found in 8 of 49 cases, SP1 in 5 of 49 cases in syncytial and mononuclear giant cells. The 5 pure seminomas with positive tumor markers appear to have no worse prognosis than pure seminomas without HCG or SP1 production. None of the seminomas was found to contain carcinoembryonic antigen or alpha-fetoprotein.