title: The treatment of metastatic germ-cell testicular tumours with bleomycin, etoposide and cis-platin (BEP).
abstract: Between July 1979 and December 1981, 43 patients with metastatic germ-cell tumours (36 testicular non-seminomas and 7 testicular seminomas) were treated with 2-6 cycles of bleomycin, etoposide and cis-platin (BEP). Forty (93%) are alive, 37 (86%) with no evidence of disease. Of 36 men with testicular non-seminoma 30 (83.3%) are alive and disease-free at 8-38 months (median 17.0 months). In the latter group 25/28 (89.3%) who had had no prior irradiation are alive and disease-free. Fourteen non-seminoma patients had small volume metastases and 13 are in complete remission, as are 12/14 patients with bulky disease. All 7 patients with advanced seminoma are alive and disease-free. It is concluded that BEP is a well tolerated and effective first line treatment for patients with metastatic germ-cell tumours.
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D011034:Podophyllotoxin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D005047:Etoposide; D011034:Podophyllotoxin; D002945:Cisplatin