Late relapsing testicular cancer detected with 18F-FDG PET preceded by long-term alpha-fetoprotein elevation

Hiromichi Sakurai; Akinobu Katami; Hiroshi Yuki; Ryosuke Matsuoka; Koji Kawai; Takayuki Shiomi; Jun Miyazaki

Urology Case Reports (Sep 2023)

Late relapsing testicular cancer detected with 18F-FDG PET preceded by long-term alpha-fetoprotein elevation

Hiromichi Sakurai,
Akinobu Katami,
Hiroshi Yuki,
Ryosuke Matsuoka,
Koji Kawai,
Takayuki Shiomi,
Jun Miyazaki

Affiliations

Hiromichi Sakurai: Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Akinobu Katami: Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Hiroshi Yuki: Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Ryosuke Matsuoka: Department of Pathology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Koji Kawai: Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Takayuki Shiomi: Department of Pathology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan
Jun Miyazaki: Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, Narita, Japan; Corresponding author. Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, 852 Hatakeda Narita, Chiba, 286-0124, Japan.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 50
p. 102511

Abstract

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Late relapse (LR) of testicular cancer is often associated with chemoresistance, and thus the first choice of therapy is surgery if complete resection is possible. In some LR cases (including our patient, a 31-year-old Japanese man), elevation of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) may precede the radiologic detection of LR. Approximately 500 days after the start of our patient's AFP elevation, 18F-fluordeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed strong FDG uptake in an equivocally enlarged external iliac lymph node. The lymphadenectomy as salvage surgery resulted in long-term complete remission without further treatment. Using FDG-PET made it possible to perform effective salvage surgery.

Published in Urology Case Reports

ISSN: 2214-4420 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Diseases of the genitourinary system. Urology
Website: http://www.urologycasereports.com/

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