title: Successful treatment of resistant germinal neoplasms with VP-16 and cisplatin: results of a Southeastern Cancer Study Group trial.
abstract: Between July 1979 and May 1982, we treated 45 male patients with refractory germinal neoplasms. All patients had previously received intensive cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy regimens. Patients received salvage chemotherapy with VP-16 and cisplatin +/- bleomycin +/- doxorubicin. Of 44 evaluable patients, 19 (43%) achieved complete remissions with salvage chemotherapy, 12 (27%) had partial remissions, and nine (21%) had no response. Four patients (9%) were not evaluable for response due to early death or noncompliance but are considered treatment failures. Ten patients (23%) remain alive and continuously disease free 20 to 39 months (median, 29 months) after completion of therapy. Hematologic toxicity was severe, with one death related to sepsis. Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis occurred in 17 patients with two fatalities. The addition of bleomycin and/or doxorubicin to this regimen increases toxicity and probably does not improve treatment results. Salvage chemotherapy with VP-16 and cisplatin offers potentially curative therapy to men with resistant germinal tumors.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hainsworth
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Einhorn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin