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Diagnostic Applications of Nuclear Medicine: Testicular Cancer

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Nuclear Oncology

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Abstract

Testicular cancer is the most common solid non-hematological cancer diagnosed in young adult men. Personal history of testicular cancer is a major risk factor for developing testicular cancer. Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common tumors; these are further divided into seminomas and nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. Tumors generally present as painless testicular mass; the first investigation is testicular ultrasound followed by serum biomarkers. MRI can be used as a problem-solver only in equivocal cases. Radical orchiectomy provides therapy as well as pathological T staging. CT scan is the primary investigation for assessing lymph node status and for the evaluation of distant metastasis. [18F]FDG PET/CT is not recommended for the diagnosis of primary testicular cancer, because of unsatisfactory negative predictive value. Nevertheless, PET/CT offers several advantages over CT particularly for patients with equivocal CT findings and in patients who exhibit elevated tumor markers and a negative CT scan. In addition, [18F]FDG PET/CT is especially useful for the evaluation of post-chemotherapy residual masses in metastatic seminoma. [18F]FDG PET/CT is, however, not routinely indicated for post-chemotherapy evaluation of nonseminomatous germ cell tumors because of high false negative rate in teratomas.

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Abbreviations

AFP:

α-Fetoprotein

AJCC:

American Joint Committee on Cancer

Beta-hCG:

Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin

BRAF:

Gene encoding for the B-Raf protein, a serine/threonine-protein kinase (also known as the proto-oncogene B-Raf and v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B)

C-KIT:

Proto-oncogene encoding for tyrosine-protein kinase Kit (or CD117), also known as mast/stem cell growth factor receptor (SCFR)

CT:

X-ray computed tomography

CXCR4:

Gene encoding for C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), also known as fusin or CD184 (cluster of differentiation 184)

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor; the mutated form EGFRvIII plays a prominent role in tumorigenesis and proangiogenic signaling

[18F]FDG:

2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose

GCT:

Germ cell tumor

IGD:

In greatest dimension

IGF:

Insulin-like factor

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

M:

Metastasis status according to the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

N:

Lymph node status according to the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system

NCCN:

National Comprehensive Cancer Network

NSGCT:

Nonseminomatous germ cell tumor

p53:

Tumor protein p53, also known as cellular tumor antigen p53, phosphoprotein p53, tumor suppressor p53, antigen NY-CO-13, or transformation-related protein 53 (TRP53)

PET:

Positron emission tomography

PET/CT:

Positron emission tomography/Computed tomography

RAS:

Oncogene regulating signaling cascades

SDF-1:

Gene encoding for the stromal cell-derived factor 1, also known as C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12)

SNP:

Single-nucleotide polymorphism

SPECT:

Single-photon emission tomography

SPECT/CT:

Single-photon emission tomography/Computed tomography

T:

Tumor status according to the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system

TGCT:

Testicular germ cell tumor

TNM:

AJCC/UICC staging system based on parameters “T” (tumor status), “N” (lymph node status), and “M” (distant metastasis status)

UICC:

Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (International Union Against Cancer)

ULN:

Upper limit of normal range

US:

Ultrasonography

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Jordan, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan

    Abedallatif AlSharif

  2. Nuclear Mecicine Department, Amir Al-momineen Speciality Hospital, Njaf, Iraq

    Haider M. Al-Allwi

  3. Regional Center of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Serena Chiacchio

  4. Nuclear Medicine Department, “S. Andrea” Hospital, La Spezia, Italy

    Giampiero Giovacchini

Authors
  1. Abedallatif AlSharif
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  2. Haider M. Al-Allwi
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  3. Serena Chiacchio
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  4. Giampiero Giovacchini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abedallatif AlSharif .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Associate Professor and Director of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Duccio Volterrani

  2. Translational Research, Pisa University, PISA, Pisa, Italy

    Paola A. Erba

  3. Attending Emeritus, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Dept. Radiology, New York, NY, USA

    H. William Strauss

  4. Professor Emeritus, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Giuliano Mariani

  5. Attending Physician, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Steven M. Larson

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AlSharif, A., Al-Allwi, H.M., Chiacchio, S., Giovacchini, G. (2022). Diagnostic Applications of Nuclear Medicine: Testicular Cancer. In: Volterrani, D., Erba, P.A., Strauss, H.W., Mariani, G., Larson, S.M. (eds) Nuclear Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26067-9_21-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26067-9_21-2

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Diagnostic Applications of Nuclear Medicine: Testicular Cancer
    Published:
    22 April 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26067-9_21-2

  2. Original

    Diagnostic Applications of Nuclear Medicine: Testicular Cancer
    Published:
    27 September 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26067-9_21-1

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