Germ cell tumors and lactate dehydrogenase

Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) are malignancies that derive from
premeiotic germ cells of the testis. TGCT are the most frequent malignancy
in Caucasian Western men in the age group 25 to 35 years. During the last
forty years, an increasing percentage of patients are cured (Sonneveld et al.
2001). Today, patients in the Nordic countries have a five-year survival of
82% to 90% (Engeland et al. 1995). The outcome became better because of
improvements in all aspects in the management, such as staging, monitoring,
and treatment (Anderson et al. 1981, Jones et al. 1981, Peckham, 1981, Rorth
et al. 1987, Horwich, 1991, Oosterhuis et al. 1991, Jones et al. 1994, Rajpert-
De Meyts et al. 1998, Harnden et al. 2001). Part of the progress in treatment
is due to TGCT being diagnosed with shorter delays by patients and doctors
than previously so that the tumours are diagnosed in a less advanced stage
(Sonneveld et al. 1999).