© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All rights reserved worldwide.
To help doctors give their patients the best possible care, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) asks its medical experts to develop evidence-based recommendations for testing blood levels of tumor markers for germ cell tumors. The tumor markers recommended in this guide are based on the results of clinical trials of patients with germ cell tumors.
Watch a patient education video led by Dr. Timothy Gilligan explaining this ASCO guideline on tumor markers for this specific type of tumor.
Key Messages:
- Certain tumor markers may be found in the blood of men with germ cell tumors, most commonly testicular cancer.
- Doctors may test levels of these tumor markers before, during, and after treatment to monitor the cancer or check if it has returned.
- Talk with your doctor about when these tumor markers will be measured and how the results are used to monitor treatment and recovery.