title: Retroperitoneal surgery in patients with nonseminomatous testicular cancer and minimal residual tumor.
abstract: In the period 1980-1991, 78 patients with advanced nonseminomatous testicular cancer underwent retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for post-chemotherapy residual masses less than 2 cm. To decrease the frequency of "dry ejaculation" in these patients with no or limited residual disease, the extent of dissection was reduced during the period, with bilateral dissections (49 cases, 1980-1986) being initially replaced by unilateral procedures (19 cases, 1983-1990) and subsequently by nerve-sparing techniques (10 cases, 1990-1991). As expected, a higher total number of lymph nodes was found in the retroperitoneal specimens after bilateral (44 (13-100)) than after unilateral (21 (7-35)) and nerve-sparing (18 (7-60)) procedures. The number of lymph nodes with pathological changes was low, with 3 (1-16) after bilateral, 2 (1-9) after unilateral, and 2 (1-4) after nerve-sparing operations. Histological examination revealed only necrosis/fibrosis in 65% of the patients, elements of mature teratoma in 28%, and remnants of viable malignant tumor in 6%. There were no major postoperative complications. "Dry ejaculation" was reported by 84% of the patients with bilateral operations, but was generally avoided after the unilateral (16%) and nerve-sparing (nil) procedures. After a mean follow-up of 83 (5-138) months, 6 patients have developed a recurrence, only one of them primarily in the retroperitoneal space. It is concluded that in patients with minimal residual retroperitoneal tumor, postchemotherapy lymphadenectomy using a unilateral or nerve-sparing technique seems to offer an effective therapeutic alternative with acceptable postoperative morbidity and preserved ejaculation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qvist
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fosså
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ous
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stenwig
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Giercksky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000601:surgery; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents