(Epi)genetic and Genomic Features of Pediatric and Adult Germ Cell Tumors.

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that occur more commonly in adolescent and adult men. Depending on their age of onset, biological behavior, morphologic characteristics, and molecular alterations, they are divided into different subtypes. A common alteration in malignant TGCTs is the formation of an isochromosome 12p, leading to copy number alterations in pluripotency and cell cycle regulating genes. Genetic predispositions and somatic alterations rarely occur in TGCTs. This article gives an overview on the current knowledge of genomic alterations that play a role in the predisposition, development, diagnosis, and treatment of TGCTs.