Radiotherapy for stages IIA/B testicular seminoma: final report of a prospective multicenter clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
A prospective multicenter trial was initiated to evaluate the role of modern radiotherapy with reduced treatment portals for stage IIA and IIB testicular seminoma.


METHODS
Patients with stages IIA/B disease (Royal Marsden classification) were assessable for the trial. Staging comprised computed tomography of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis as well as analysis of tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein and beta human chorionic gonadotropin. Linac-based radiotherapy was delivered to para-aortic and high ipsilateral iliac lymph nodes. The total doses were 30 Gy for stage IIA and 36 Gy for stage IIB disease.


RESULTS
Between April 1991 and March 1994, 94 patients were enrolled for the trial by 30 participating centers throughout Germany. Seven patients were lost to follow-up. Median time to follow-up of 87 assessable patients was 70 months. There were 66 stage IIA and 21 stage IIB patients. One mediastinal and one field-edge relapse were observed in the stage IIA group. In the stage IIB group, there was one mediastinal and one mediastinal/pulmonary relapse. All patients were treated with a salvage regimen of platinum-based chemotherapy. Actuarial relapse-free survival at 6 years was 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88.9% to 100%) and 88.9% (95% CI, 74.4% to 100%) for stage IIA and IIB groups, respectively. Maximum acute side effects were 8% grade 3 nausea for stage IIA and 10% grade 3 nausea and diarrhea for stage IIB groups. No late toxicity was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy for stages IIA/B seminoma with reduced portals yields excellent tumor control at a low rate of acute toxicity and no late toxicity, which supports the role of radiotherapy as the first treatment choice for these patients.
Classen
Johannes
J
Departments of Radiation Oncology and Medical Information Processing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. johannes.classen@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Schmidberger
Heinz
H
Meisner
Christoph
C
Souchon
Rainer
R
Sautter-Bihl
Marie-Luise
ML
Sauer
Rolf
R
Weinknecht
Stefan
S
Köhrmann
Kai-U
KU
Bamberg
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018239:Seminoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds