title: Clinicopathological features and survival of young Turkish patients with testicular germ cell tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are a relatively common malignancy in young men. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features and survival of young Turkish patients with TGCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, the clinical and pathological characteristics of young Turkish patients with TGCT who were monitored by the Department of Medical Oncology of a military hospital between 2008 and 2013 were investigated. Overall survival data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six patients were included in the study. The mean age was 26.4 years. Among the patients, 17.7% had seminoma and 43.8% had mixed non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Some 46.9% were Stage I, 30.2% were Stage II, and 22.9 were Stage III. Of the patients, 83.3% received chemotherapy, 25% underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), 3.1% received radiotherapy, and 12.5% were followed-up without treatment. In addition, 18.8% of the patients were administered salvage chemotherapy due to relapse or progression. The 5-year overall survival rate was 90.2% for all patients. The 2-year overall survival rate was 100% for Stage I patients, 94% for Stage II patients, and 70.2% for Stage III patients. The difference between the survival curves of stages was statistically significant (p=0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In young Turkish patients with TGCT, good results were obtained with appropriate treatment, most receiving chemotherapy. The prognosis of the disease was good even in the advanced stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey E-mail : alpozgun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozgun
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karagoz
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuncel
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Emirzeoglu
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bilgi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D014421:Turkey