title: Chemotherapy of disseminated testicular cancer--a Singapore experience.
abstract: Eighteen patients with bulky Stage II B or disseminated germinal neoplasms of the testis were treated with 4 months induction chemotherapy regimen of vinblastine, bleomycin and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum since July 1980. Subsequent maintenance therapy for responding patients consisted of monthly vinblastine and bleomycin. The duration of maintenance therapy was 10 months. Twelve patients (66%) entered into complete remission while 4 patients (22%) were partial responders. VP 16-213 (Etoposide) was added to the regimen for those partial and nonresponders. However there was a high percentage (66%) of relapse at 1 year. Major toxicities were severe gastrointestinal toxicities and mild myelosuppression. There was no drug related death. Problems encountered with this programme were compliance of patients, high costs of drugs and short-lived duration of complete remission. It can be concluded that disseminated germinal cells tumours of testis is highly responsive to combination chemotherapy containing cis-platinum, bleomycin and vinblastine.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin