title: Mediastinal metastases from testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: patterns of dissemination and predictors of long-term survival with surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of mediastinal dissemination of nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of testicular origin and evaluate variables that may influence survival with mediastinal dissection in patients with metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1981 to 2000, a total of 421 patients were seen at our institution for extirpation of residual lung or mediastinal disease after cisplatin-based chemotherapy for metastatic testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. We reviewed 268 of these patients, with a mean age of 26.8 years, who required at least one surgical procedure to remove residual mediastinal disease. Pathologic types of resected residual mediastinal disease were necrosis (15%), teratoma (59%), persistent nonseminomatous germ cell cancer (15%), and non-germ cell carcinomatous degeneration (11%). Twelve variables were evaluated by univariate analyses, and four variables potentially statistically significant at P <.10 were subsequently entered into a Cox regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients demonstrated metastases to the visceral mediastinum. Fewer patients also demonstrated metastases to the paravertebral sulcus or anterior compartments (16% and 7%, respectively). Overall 5- and 10-year survivals were 86% +/- 2% and 74% +/- 4%, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, disease-related survival was negatively influenced by an elevated preoperative beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level (P =.028) and adverse pathologic characteristics of residual mediastinal disease (P =.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors follow a predictable pattern of mediastinal dissemination, primarily following the course of the thoracic duct and its major tributaries. Patients who require surgery to remove residual mediastinal disease after cisplatin-based chemotherapy for metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors have good to excellent long-term survivals. These results justify an aggressive surgical approach, including multiple surgical procedures if clinically indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind, USA. kkesler@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kesler
authors.forename: Jo Ann
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.forename: Naomi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Fineberg
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Einhorn
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018237:Germinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors