[A useful combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and etoposide in mediastinal yolk sac tumor].

A 28-year-old male was referred to our hospital because of chest pain and dry cough. Chest x-ray film revealed a tumor mass in the anterior mediastinum indicating invasion into the chest wall and upper lobe of right lung. No tumor was found in the testis. Serum level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was 6,400 ng/ml. Percutaneous biopsy of the tumor suggested yolk sac tumor. The patient was treated with a combination chemotherapy schedule including 30 mg of cisplatin (CDDP) i.v. on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and 150 mg of etoposide on Days 1, 2, and 3 as one course therapy. Two courses were employed. Partial response was achieved followed by successful resection of the tumor. This case indicated that a combination chemotherapy CDDP and etoposide combined with surgery could play an active role increasing long-term survival rates in mediastinal yolk sac tumors.