title: VAB-6: an effective chemotherapy regimen for patients with germ-cell tumors.
abstract: One hundred sixty-six patients with germ-cell tumors (GCT) of the testis, retroperitoneum, and mediastinum were treated with cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, bleomycin, dactinomycin, and cisplatin (VAB-6), with and without maintenance chemotherapy. The overall complete response (CR) rate was 78%, 67% to chemotherapy alone, and 11% after chemotherapy and resection of viable residual cancer. The CR rate in all patients with seminoma was uniformly high, while the CR rate of patients with testicular nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors (79%) was superior to that of similar tumors of extragonadal origin (60%). The overall relapse rate was 12%, and was greater in tumors of extragonadal origin (21%) than in those of testicular origin (11%). Three relapses occurred after 2 years. Maintenance chemotherapy did not prolong either relapse-free or total survival. Toxicity was tolerable, and there were no treatment deaths. No Raynaud's phenomena have occurred, with a minimum duration since start of therapy of 36 months. VAB-6 is an effective chemotherapy regimen in patients with GCT with no treatment-related deaths and a majority of patients requiring only 3 months of treatment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D009919:Orchiectomy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001761:Bleomycin; D002699:Chlorambucil; D003609:Dactinomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin