Long-term followup results of 1 cycle of adjuvant bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy for high risk clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the long-term outcome after 1 cycle of adjuvant modified bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy in patients who underwent orchiectomy for high risk clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis.


METHODS
Between 1995 and 1999 a consecutive series of 44 patients underwent orchiectomy for clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis, followed by a single postoperative cycle of adjuvant modified bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin for vascular or lymphatic tumor invasion, and/or a predominance (50% or greater) of embryonal carcinoma.


RESULTS
Four of the 44 patients were excluded from analysis. Of the patients 35 had no evidence of disease at a median followup of 99 months (range 60 to 134). One patient with progression after 13 months showed complete remission after 3 cycles of salvage bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy but he died of pneumonia 4 weeks after the third course. Two patients underwent orchiectomy for contralateral testis cancer at 18 and 42 months, respectively, followed by an additional 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. They remained relapse-free for 4 and 92 months, respectively. The former patient was lost to followup after 4 months. Two other patients were disease-free at 10 and 31 months, respectively, and were lost to followup thereafter. Late side effects were tinnitus in 3 patients and involuntary childlessness in 3, of whom 2 had cryptorchidism of the contralateral testis. Nine patients fathered children.


CONCLUSIONS
One cycle of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin effectively decreases the risk of relapse in patients with high risk stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis. It has minimal side effects and can be a valuable alternative to retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.
Westermann
Dirk H
DH
Department of Urology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Schefer
Hubert
H
Thalmann
George N
GN
Karamitopoulou-Diamantis
Evanthia
E
Fey
Martin F
MF
Studer
Urs E
UE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
D001761:Bleomycin; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin