Stage II nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis: an analysis of treatment options in patients with low volume retroperitoneal disease.

The management of patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis and low volume retroperitoneal disease remains controversial. We analyzed the treatment modalities of 56 patients divided into 3 groups: group I--18 clinical stage I cancer patients who had pathological stage II disease after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, group II--31 patients with abdominopelvic computerized tomography abnormalities of 5 cm. or less with or without positive biological markers and group III--7 patients with persistently positive biological markers after orchiectomy with normal abdominopelvic computerized tomography scans. In group I 4 of 18 patients received chemotherapy after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Two patients met criteria for post-dissection chemotherapy, but they did not receive it and subsequently had relapse. Of the remaining 12 patients who were observed after dissection only 1 (8 per cent) had relapse. In group II 19 of 31 patients were treated with initial chemotherapy: 13 (68 per cent) achieved a complete response, while 6 required retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after chemotherapy. Of 31 patients 12 were treated with initial retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and 9 (75 per cent) received post-dissection chemotherapy. In group III 5 of 7 patients were treated with initial retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and 3 of the 5 subsequently required chemotherapy. Of the 7 patients 2 received initial chemotherapy and achieved a complete response. All 56 patients are without disease at 4+ to 106+ months (median 28 months). We conclude that patients with the characteristics of groups II and III should be managed initially with chemotherapy, with retroperitoneal lymph node dissection reserved for patients who fail to achieve a complete response. In group I retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is sufficient initial treatment if pathological evaluation of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes does not meet our criteria for post-dissection adjuvant chemotherapy.