Cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced seminoma: experience of the Northern Israel Oncology Center: 1981-1994.

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of cisplatinum combined chemotherapy modalities was investigated in a variety of trials for patients with advanced seminoma. Results regarding remission rates and survival are encouraging.

METHODS

Between December 1981 and January 1994, 13 patients with either relapsed (following radiotherapy failure) or primarily advanced seminoma were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy at the Northern Israel Oncology Center.

RESULTS

Eleven (84%) patients achieved complete clearance of all sites of disease. One patient demonstrated clinically and radiographically remarkable shrinkage of an abdominal mass, and laparotomy revealed fibrotic/necrotic tissue without viable tumor cells. After a mean follow-up of 58 months (range 4-168), 12 patients (92%) are alive and well without evidence of malignancy. One patient, in whom a 2-cm abdominal mass is stable radiographically, is under observation with no sign of tumor activity. Side effects were tolerable; no patient developed chemotherapy-induced sepsis. One patient developed spontaneous pneumothorax a few days after completion of his first chemotherapy cycle, which resolved with treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the efficacy and safety of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced seminoma, even in pre-irradiated patients.