Germ cell tumors and biochemical markers in clinical and experimental research.

This article only presents some of the important aspects of GCT pathology, management, and tumor markers. Several essential research areas have not been included. Experimental models, such as animal models, tissue culture lines, and heterotransplantation have been described elsewhere. This is also true for radioimmune detection and for "carcinoma in situ" of the testis. Germ cell tumors are unique since, to a large extent, they are curable. In contrast to the painstakingly slow progress in the treatment of other solid tumors, new radiotherapy and chemotherapy regimens and better monitoring have drastically altered survival in patients with germ cell tumors. However, many questions remain unanswered. Are some patients being overtreated, and can treatment regimens be minimized? Can patients at risk for recurrence be more accurately identified, and should treatment be more aggressive in such cases? To answer these questions it will be necessary to carry out large prospective, randomized trials both at the national and international level. To achieve progress in GCT research it is also important to continue the interdisciplinary approach, which has proven so fruitful not only for patients with germ cell tumors but also for cancer research in general.