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Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH): Tumor Marker in Testicular Cancer

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an intracellular enzyme of glycolysis. Five isoenzymes of LDH show different tissue distribution. LDH reduces pyruvate to lactate with the help of the cofactor NADH.

Standard Value of Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

60–120 U/l.

Laboratory Test Method

Spectrophotometry.

Indications

Tumor marker in germ cell tumors. Laboratory marker for tissue breakdown.

Differential Diagnosis of Increased Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

Tissue breakdown (trauma, infarction, infection)
Haematological diseases (hemolysis, leukemia, mononucleosis).
Lung diseases (pulmonary embolism, bronchial carcinoma).
Heart disease with heart muscle injury.
Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, carcinoma).
Malignant tumors with a high cell turn over (testicular tumors).
Muscle diseases.

Kinetics of LDH after Treatment of Testicular Cancer

LDH is elevated especially in advanced stages of testicular carcinoma. The specificity of LDH is low (see differential diagnosis above), but it is a useful marker to monitor treatment and for follow-up. The isoenzyme LDH1 is more specific for testicular tumors than the total LDH (Eyben et al., 2000).

Tumor marker HCG

Index

Semen analysis

Index: 1–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

References

Guder, W. G. & Nolte, J. Das Laborbuch für Klinik und Praxis
Urban + Fischer, 2009

Siegenthaler 1988 SIEGENTHALER, W. ; SIEGENTHALER, W. (Hrsg.): Differentialdiagnose innerer Krankheiten.
Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, New York., 1988

von Eyben, F. E.; Madsen, E. L.; Liu, F.; Amato, R. & Fritsche, H. Serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 as a prognostic predictor for metastatic testicular germ cell tumors.
British journal of cancer, 2000, 83, 1256-1259

Deutsche Version: Tumormarker HCG (humanes Choriongonadotropin)