Salvage chemotherapy with vinblastine, ifosfamide, and cisplatin in recurrent seminoma.
OBJECTIVE
Salvage therapy for disseminated germ cell tumors of all histologic subtypes with vinblastine, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (VeIP) will cure approximately 25% of patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of VeIP in patients with recurrent seminoma.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of 24 patients with recurrent seminoma who were treated at Indiana University with VeIP as second-line chemotherapy. All patients had received cisplatin-containing regimens as primary chemotherapy and seven had also received prior pelvic radiotherapy. All patients received four courses of VeIP.


RESULTS
The minimum follow-up duration was 2 years (range, 2 to 9.1), with a median follow-up time of 7 years. Twenty of 24 patients (83%) achieved a complete remission (CR) following VeIP alone. One additional patient was rendered disease-free (NED) with the resection of residual carcinoma. Eight patients have relapsed. Four of six patients with extragonadal primary tumors and two of four who failed to achieve CR with initial chemotherapy are continuously NED with VeIP. Overall, 13 of 24 (54%) are long-term survivors with VeIP salvage chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
VeIP has significant curative potential in patients with recurrent seminoma and appears to produce a higher CR rate and more long-term survivors than is achieved in patients with nonseminomatous disease.
Miller
K D
KD
Department of Medicine, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis 46202, USA.
Loehrer
P J
PJ
Gonin
R
R
Einhorn
L H
LH
D000328:Adult; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D018239:Seminoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide