What ' s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Treatment options for testis cancer depend on the histological subtype as well as on the clinical stage. An accurate staging is essential for correct treatment. The ' golden standard ' for staging purposes is CT, but occult metastasis cannot be detected with this method. Currently, parameters such as primary tumour size, vessel invasion or invasion of the rete testis are used for predicting occult metastasis. Last year the association of these parameters with metastasis could not be validated in a new independent cohort. Gene expression analysis in testis cancer allowed discrimination between the different histological subtypes (seminoma and non-seminoma) as well as testis cancer and normal testis tissue.In a two-stage study design we (i) screened the whole genome (using human whole genome microarrays) for candidate genes associated with the metastatic stage in seminoma and (ii) validated and quantifi ed gene expression of our candidate genes (real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction) on another independent group. Gene expression measurements of two of our candidate genes (dopamine receptor D1 [ DRD1 ] and family with sequence similarity 71, member F2 [ FAM71F2 ] ) examined in primary testis cancers made it possible to discriminate the metastasis status in seminoma. The discriminative ability of the genes exceeded the predictive signifi cance of currently used histological/pathological parameters. Based on gene expression analysis the present study provides suggestions for improved individual decision making either in favour of early adjuvant therapy or increased surveillance. OBJECTIVE• To evaluate the usefulness of gene expression profi ling for predicting metastatic status in testicular seminoma at the time of fi rst diagnosis compared with established clinical and pathological parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS• Total RNA was isolated from testicular tumours of metastasized patients (12 patients, clinical stage IIa -III), nonmetastasized patients (40, clinical stage I) and adjacent ' normal ' tissue ( n = 36).• The RNA was then converted into cDNA and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was run on 94 candidate genes selected from previous work.• Normalised gene expression of these genes and histological variables, e.g. tumour size and rete testis infi ltration, were analysed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS• Expression of two genes (dopamine receptor D1 [ DRD1 ] and family with sequence similarity 71, member F2 [ FAM71F2 ] , P = 0.005 and 0.024 in separate analysis and P = 0.004 and 0.016 when combining both genes, respectively) made it possible to signifi cantly discriminate the metastasis status. Concordance increased from 77.9% (DRD1) and 72.3% (FAM71F2) in separate analysis and up to 87.7% when combining both genes in one model.• Only primary tumour size in separate analysis (continuous or categorical with tumour size > 6 cm) was signifi cantly associated with metastasis ( P = 0.039/ P = 0.02), but concordance was l...

New biomarkers of metastatic seminoma were identified and previously described risk factors were validated. Further prospective studies of these novel parameters are warranted to verify our findings and to explore a potential use for detecting occult metastases.

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No single parameter was able to discriminate metastatic from non-metastatic NSGCT, but combinations of parameters in two predictive models accurately identified the metastatic status in 23 % of the cases in our sample.

Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, we tested the suitability of five monoclonal mouse antibodies (IVA7E7, IVB12G12, IVG9C11, VD2F12, and VIIID8C12) that had been raised against different domains of the porcine intestinal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 receptor (VDR), for the immunohistological detection of VDR in human skin. The VDR immunoreactivity of these antibodies was compared with the well-characterized VDR-staining pattern of the mouse monoclonal antibody 9A7gamma raised against chick intestinal VDR. All six antibodies revealed strong nuclear and qualitatively similar immunoreactivity in all cell layers of the viable epidermis. Our data demonstrate that the five mouse monoclonal antibodies are suitable for immunohistochemical detection of VDR in frozen sections. These antibodies show comparable staining patterns in human skin even though they had been raised against different functional domains of the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 receptor.