Further insights into testicular germ cell tumor oncogenesis: potential therapeutic targets

Introduction: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common neoplasia in the young male population, and the incidence has been constantly increasing in many parts of the world. These tumors are classified into seminomas and non-seminomas, and those divided, in turn, into yolk sac tumors, embryonal cell carcinomas, choriocarcinomas, and teratomas. Although therapeutic approaches have improved, approximately 25% of the patients relapse or, in a small number of cases, show platinum-resistant disease. Areas covered: We review several molecular targets that have recently emerged as powerful tools for both diagnosis and therapy of TGCTs. Moreover, we reviewed the most frequent deregulated pathways involved in TGCT tumorigenesis, reporting drugs that may emerge as novel therapeutic agents. Expert opinion: TGCT treatment is mainly based on platinum-derivative therapy with high cure rates. However, in the refractory patients, there are few alternative treatments. Thus, different pharmacological approaches have to be thoroughly investigated to shed new light on TGCT pathogenesis and treatment.