[Therapeutic strategy in stage I seminomas: which lymph node areas are to be irradiated?].

OBJECTIVES

Our aims were to describe the results of adjuvant irradiation given to the paraaortic lymph nodes without pelvic irradiation in patients treated for stage 1 seminoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 1990 to 1997, thirteen patients with stage I testis seminoma have been treated with external beam irradiation to the paraaortic lymph nodes (volume treated: from D10-D11 to L5-S1). The stage was: pT1 in 10 patients, pT2 in 2, pT3 in 1. Median follow-up was 35 months (range: 13-90).

RESULTS

Twelve of 13 patients are alive without recurrence. One patient with previous orchidopexy treated for seminoma of the right testis relapsed to the external iliac lymph area. No grade 3-4 adverse event of radiation in the SOMA LENT scale were observed.

CONCLUSION

Despite the short number of patients in this series, these results had an impact on our routine practice. External beam irradiation given to the paraaortic lymph nodes is considered the standard adjuvant procedure in our institution.