Salvage high-dose chemotherapy in patients with germ cell tumors: an Italian experience with 84 patients.
BACKGROUND
High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by hematopoietic stem cell support (HSCS) potentially may be curative in patients with germ cell tumor (GCT) who develop recurrent tumors or who have an inadequate response after receiving standard-dose chemotherapy. The authors report their experience with HDCT as salvage therapy for patients with GCT.


METHODS
Between 1986 and 2000, 84 patients with GCT, with a median age 29 years (range, 15-50 years), were treated with 105 courses of HDCT with HSCS. Patients were stratified into good, intermediate, and poor risk categories according to a validated prognostic index.


RESULTS
Overall, 28 patients (33%) have been continuously disease free. In the good risk group, 24 patients (69%) have been continuously disease free compared with 4 patients (13%) in the intermediate risk group (P < 0.001) and 0 patients in the poor risk group (P < 0.001). Treatment-related mortality occurred only among patients in the poor risk (n = 6 patients) and the intermediate risk groups (n = 4 patients).


CONCLUSIONS
In the authors' experience, HDCT induced impressive long-term remissions as salvage treatment among patients in the good risk group. Moreover, the use of validated prognostic classifications may contribute to a better definition of the role of HDCT other than improving the outcome of patients with GCT. The definitive statement on the possible role of HDCT in patients with GCT will derive from the ongoing Phase III randomized studies.
Rosti
Giovanni
G
Department of Oncology and Hematology, General Hospital, Ravenna, Italy. rosti@ra.nettuno.it
De Giorgi
Ugo
U
Salvioni
Roberto
R
Papiani
Giorgio
G
Sebastiani
Loretta
L
Argnani
Marzia
M
Monti
Giuseppe
G
Ferrante
Patrizia
P
Pizzocaro
Giorgio
G
Marangolo
Maurizio
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate