[Primary mediastinal seminoma. Value of the assay of tumor markers before any surgery. Study of a case].

An excessive surgical excision of pulmonary parenchyme preceded the histological diagnosis of a mediastinal seminoma, concerning a 43 year-old man. Absence of all tumoral tracer during surgery did not permit to establish the difference between radiosensitive pure seminoma and impure seminoma of which repeated dosages should have improved medical strategy. In order to avoid, in the future, a similar error, in case of an anterior mediastinal tumor, the authors formally recommended, before all surgery, a dosage of HCG and AFP.