Primary malignant mediastinal germ cell tumours: improved prognosis with platinum-based chemotherapy and surgery.
A retrospective analysis was performed of 18 patients with primary malignant germ cell tumours of the mediastinum treated with platinum-based chemotherapy between 1977 and 1990. All seven patients with pure seminoma were treated initially with chemotherapy and four of these patients received additional mediastinal radiotherapy. Only one patient relapsed; his initial therapy had included radiotherapy and single-agent carboplatin and he was successfully salvaged with combination chemotherapy. With a follow-up of 11 to 117 months (median 41 months) all seven patients with seminoma remain alive and disease free giving an overall survival of 100%. Eleven patients had malignant non seminoma; following chemotherapy eight of these had elective surgical resection of residual mediastinal masses. Complete remission was achieved in nine (82%) patients, however, one of these patients died from bleomycin pneumonitis. With a follow-up of 12 to 113 months (median 55 months) eight of 11 (73%) patients with malignant mediastinal teratoma remain alive and disease free.
Oncology Centre, Auckland Hospital, New Zealand.
W J
WJ
Childs
P
P
Goldstraw
J E
JE
Nicholls
D P
DP
Dearnaley
A
A
Horwich
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013724:Teratoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*
D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin