title: Nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors clinical stage I: differentiated therapeutic approach in comparison with therapeutic approach using surveillance strategy only.
abstract: Surveillance after orchiectomy alone becomes popular for the management of clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (CS I NSGCTT). Effort to identify patients at high risk of relapse leads to searching for risk factors of CS I NSGCTT. The aim of the study was to analyse own long-term experiences with different therapeutic approaches in CS I NSGCTT patients according to risk factors of the disease progression and to correlate these results with the group of patients who were treated with surveillance strategy only. From 11/1984 to 12/1991 a total of 145 patients with CS I NSGCTT were treated with surveillance strategy only (group A) and were followed-up to 1/2007. Patients, who had the disease progression, were treated with systemic chemotherapy. The disease progression was experienced in 52 patients (35.9 %). The overall survival rate of the patients in this group was 130/145 (89.7 %). From 1/1992 to 1/2007 a total of 323 patients with CS I NSGCTT were stratified to different risk-adapted therapeutic approaches (groups B1-3) according to histopathologic findings of primary tumor removed by inguinal orchiectomy. 111 patients (group B1) with vascular invasion and majority of embryonal carcinoma component in the primary tumor were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy (2 cycles of BEP). Disease progression developed in two patients (1.9 %). Other patients live without evidence of disease (NED). None of them died. Among 11 patients (group B2) with vascular invasion and majority with teratomatous elements in the primary tumor underwent primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), 9 were found to be pathological stage I. The disease progression was observed in two patients (18.2 %), they died 87-122 months following orchiectomy. Two patients (18.2 %) with pathological stage II received adjuvant chemotherapy. Other 7 patients live with NED following RPLND. 201 patients (group B3) without vascular invasion have been followed after orchiectomy alone. They were kept under close surveillance, consisting of regular follow-up with tumor markers, chest x-ray and CT of the retroperitoneum. The disease progression was observed in 39 patients (19.4 %), who were treated with BEP chemotherapy. Three of them (7.7 %) died after a mean follow-up of 32.7 months following orchiectomy. The overall survival rate of all patients in group B1-3 was 98.4 %. Introduction of different therapeutic approaches in CS I NSGCTT patients according to risk factors of the disease progression might reduce the overall relapse rate of these patients from 35.9 % (group A) to 19.4 % (group B3) (P< 0.001). Surveillance procedure is recommended only in patients without vascular invasion in the primary tumor.
authors: First Department of Oncology, Comenius University Medical School, St. Elisabeth Cancer Institute , Heydukova 10, 812 50 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. dondrus@ousa.sk
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Ondrus
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ondrusova
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hornak
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Matoska
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins