Ifosfamide- and cisplatin-containing chemotherapy as first-line salvage therapy in germ cell tumors: response and survival.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of ifosfamide- and cisplatin-containing chemotherapy as first-line salvage treatment for patients with germ cell tumors (GCT).


METHODS
Fifty-six patients with advanced GCT resistant to one prior cisplatin-containing regimen were treated with a salvage chemotherapy regimen of ifosfamide, cisplatin, and either vinblastine or etoposide (VeIP/VIP).


RESULTS
Twenty of 56 (36%) assessable patients achieved a complete response (CR). Thirteen (23%) are alive and continuously free of disease at a median follow-up time of 52 months; the median survival duration was 18 months. Among patients with a testis primary tumor site and a prior CR to first-line therapy, 65% are alive and 41% continuously disease-free, and the median survival time has not been reached. In contrast, for patients with an extragonadal primary tumor or with a testis primary tumor site and an incomplete response (IR) to first-line therapy, 31% are alive and 15% continuously free of disease, with a median survival time of 12 months (P < .03).


CONCLUSIONS
Ifosfamide- and cisplatin-containing therapy achieves a durable CR in a minority of patients with resistant GCT as first-line therapy. Patients with a primary testis site who relapsed from a CR to first-line cisplatin therapy have a better prognosis than patients with an extragonadal primary tumor site or an IR to first-line therapy. Risk-directed clinical trials to improve response and survival in both subsets are warranted.
McCaffrey
J A
JA
Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA. mccaffrj@mskcc.org
Mazumdar
M
M
Bajorin
D F
DF
Bosl
G J
GJ
Vlamis
V
V
Motzer
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018237:Germinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014747:Vinblastine; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide