Moccia, Augusta (2024) Inflammatory mediators as biomarkers for testicular cancer diagnosis and follow-up. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Item Type: Tesi di dottorato
Resource language: English
Title: Inflammatory mediators as biomarkers for testicular cancer diagnosis and follow-up
Creators:
Creators
Email
Moccia, Augusta
augumoccia@gmail.com
Date: 15 March 2024
Number of Pages: 33
Institution: Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
Department: Scienze Mediche Traslazionali
Dottorato: Medicina clinica e sperimentale
Ciclo di dottorato: 36
Coordinatore del Corso di dottorato:
nome
email
BEGUINOT, FRANCESCO
beguino@unina.it
Tutor:
nome
email
FORMISANO, PIETRO
UNSPECIFIED
Date: 15 March 2024
Number of Pages: 33
Keywords: Germ cell testicular cancer, beta-HCG, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), LDH
Settori scientifico-disciplinari del MIUR: Area 06 - Scienze mediche > MED/04 - Patologia generale
Area 06 - Scienze mediche > MED/05 - Patologia clinica
Date Deposited: 15 Mar 2024 10:22
Last Modified: 14 Apr 2026 07:20
URI: http://www.fedoa.unina.it/id/eprint/15407

Collection description

Germ cell testicular cancer (GTC) represents 95% of testicular tumors and can be divided in three main categories, which include prepuberal, adolescent-young adult and spermatocytic seminoma (of the elder males). It derives from germ cells at different developmental stages and represents 1% of all the male tumors but it is the most common type of cancer in males between 15 and 34. The incidence is raising all over the world, while more efficient treatments have brought a reduction in mortality. Two types of GTC can be identified: i) Seminomas and ii) Non-seminomas. The classical clinical presentation is a painless lump in the testicle. After identifying testicular mass with ul-trasound, it is necessary to perform radical orchiectomy to have definitive diagnosis. Chest-abdomen-pelvis TC and determination of tumoral serum markers are needed to stage the disease. The markers usually used are beta-HCG, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and LDH. Due to low sensitivity and specificity of the currently used markers, it is mandatory to discover novel mol-ecules to be used for both diagnosis and follow-up. Therefore, we have considered molecules involved in inflammation, as cytokines and growth factors. Indeed, cancer is a disease largely accompanied by disfunction of the cytokines network and GTCs are largely infiltrated by immune cells. Moreover, the testicular tumor microenvironment is significantly influenced by high levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The clinical course of a cancer is affected by the interaction of tumor cells with patient’s immune system. It is conceivable that immunological parameters may be used as markers of prognostic, diagnostic or predictive value. To sum up, elevated levels of several cytokines and growth factors have been found in patients with cancer, either in the serum or in the tumoral microenvironment and may be of substantial help for GTC characterization.

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