title: The role of etoposide therapy in germ cell cancer.
abstract: In the last decade, etoposide has become a standard component of first-line combination chemotherapy in germ cell cancer. The replacement of vinblastine by etoposide in primary treatment came after the therapeutic efficacy of etoposide-containing regimens was determined to be equivalent or superior to vinblastine, with diminished short-term side effects. Subsequent investigations in the salvage setting have demonstrated that high-dose carboplatin and etoposide regimens coupled with autologous bone marrow transplantation can cure some patients with highly resistant disease, and that novel scheduling of etoposide using daily, oral, low-dose therapy can provide effective palliation in some patients. Although these therapeutic successes have been clouded by the demonstration of secondary acute leukemias in rare patients who have received high-dose etoposide, the challenge of the 1990s will be to capitalize on the clinical leads of dose and scheduling as well as to continue to document the long-term safety of these agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide