Interdisciplinary evidence-based recommendations for the follow-up of testicular cancer patients: a joint effort.
Detailed recommendations for the treatment of testicular cancer exist and due to the stringent application of the standard therapies, most patients can nowadays be cured. Moreover in the treatment of early stage disease, active surveillance is now a cornerstone of treatment. Hence there is a clear need for recommendations regarding the long term follow-up of these young patients. These have to be safe, feasible and the intensity of procedures have to reflect the known risk of recurrence. Different proposals have been published but they differ widely especially in terms of frequency and modality of imaging. In the last few years, new evidence has become available regarding the relapse pattern of different disease stages of testicular cancer, the use of imaging in follow-up and the risks of excessive radiation due to imaging, in particular with CT scans. In this article, an interdisciplinary, multinational working group has reviewed the evidence and based on this has formulated practical recommendations for the follow-up of patients with testicular cancer.
Cathomas
Richard
R
Medical Oncology, Kantonsspital Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland. richard.cathomas@ksgr.ch
Helbling
Daniel
D
Stenner
Frank
F
Rothermundt
Christian
C
Rentsch
Cyrill
C
Shahin
Osama
O
Seifert
Hans-Helge
HH
Zaugg
Kathrin
K
Lorch
Anja
A
Mayer
Frank
F
Beyer
Jörg
J
De Santis
Maria
M
Gillessen
Silke
S
D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*; D014463:Ultrasonography