Placental-like alkaline phosphatase in seminoma.

Tumor marker identification in testicular cancer has contributed to early detection and monitoring of non-seminomatous disease. A placental alkaline phosphatase-like (PLAP-like) enzyme derived from seminomas has recently been focused upon as a possible marker for this disease. The biochemistry of the PLAP-like enzyme is reviewed, as well as its occurrence in tissue and sera from healthy persons and patients with testicular cancer.