title: The importance of one-stage median sternotomy and retroperitoneal node dissection in disseminated testicular cancer.
abstract: More than 350 patients with testicular germ cell cancer have been treated with cisplatin combination chemotherapy. Seventy-two with metastases to the thorax who had operation are discussed here. In a subgroup of 24 patients with additional retroperitoneal disease, a one-stage median sternotomy was performed in 18 patients, and a thoracotomy in 6, with retroperitoneal node dissection. Seventeen patients had similar pathological lesions in the thorax and retroperitoneum; in 7, the lesions differed. There was no operative mortality in the entire group. Overall, chemotherapy altered the metastases to mature teratoma in 28 patients, and 27 are long-term survivors. Among 22 patients with fibrotic, necrotic masses, 19 are long-term survivors; 6 of the 22 with persistent carcinoma had chemotherapy postoperatively and are long-term survivors. The overall cure rate for patients with disseminated testicular cancer is approximately 80%. Among those who had a one-stage thoracoretroperitoneal procedure, long-term survival is 83%; for the entire thoracic surgical group, it is 74%.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin