First-line high-dose chemotherapy combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for patients with advanced extragonadal germ cell tumors.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for patients with advanced extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGGCT).


METHODS
Six male patients with advanced non-seminomatous EGGCT were treated with HDCT combined with PBSCT following 2-3 cycles of conventional-dose induction chemotherapy. The regimens used for HDCT were carboplatin, etoposide and ifosfamide (ICE) in five patients and ICE plus paclitaxel (T-ICE) in one patient, and that for induction therapy was cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin (PEB) in all patients. As a rule, HDCT was continuously administered until alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin normalized (beta-HCG).


RESULTS
Following 1-6 courses of HDCT (median, 4 courses), beta-HCG and AFP were normalized in all patients, and five and one patient were diagnosed as showing partial remission and stable disease, respectively. Five patients underwent surgical resection of residual tumors after HDCT, yielding necrotic tissue in two, mature teratoma in two, and viable cancer tissue in one, and the surgical margin was negative in all patients. At a median follow-up of 36 months, five patients were alive and disease-free, whereas the remaining one died of disease progression. Although all patients had grade 3 hematological toxicity, there was no treatment-related death by combining PBSCT.


CONCLUSIONS
First-line HDCT with PBSCT could be safely administered to patients with advanced EGGCT, and the antitumor effect of this treatment was comparatively favorable. First-line HDCT therefore may represent an attractive option for patients with advanced EGGCT.
Kumano
Masafumi
M
Division of Urology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Miyake
Hideaki
H
Hara
Isao
I
Furukawa
Junya
J
Takenaka
Atsushi
A
Fujisawa
Masato
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome