[Use of high-dosage chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a first-line therapy for the patients with poor-prognosis testicular tumors].
BACKGROUND
High-dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell support can be used as a first-line treatment in patients with germ-cell tumor (GCT) with poor prognosis. Long-term survival rate is attained in 50% of these patients. The aim of this paper was to present the experience at the Department of Hematology, Military Medical Academy, with high-dose cytostatic therapy as first-line chemotherapy in GCT patients with poor prognosis.


METHODS
Between 1997 and 2003, five patients with high-risk germ-cell tumors were treated with high-dosage chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplantation. All the patients were with non-seminomatous germ-cell tumors with mixed histology, and one was with extragonadal retroperitoneal germ-cell tumor.


RESULTS
The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 33 months. Three patients achieved complete remision, two patients only partial remision, and one was not followed-up. One patient was with residual tumor resection, using retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, after autologous stem cell transplantation. All the patients were treated according to standard protocols.


CONCLUSIONS
Early high-dose chemotherapy associated with hematopoietic stem cell support as a first-line treatment in the patients with germ-cell tumor with a poor prognosis, represented an efficient treatment modality.
Marjanović
Slobodan
S
Vojnomedicinska akademija, Klinika za hematologiju, Beograd.
Cerović
Snezana
S
Brajusković
Goran
G
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous