PURPOSE: To evaluate the dose, toxicity, and efficacy of paclitaxel in combination with ifosfamide and cisplatin as salvage therapy for patients with relapsed testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with previously treated GCTs were treated with paclitaxel and ifosfamide plus cisplatin (TIP) as second-line therapy. All had favorable prognostic features for response (testis primary tumor site and prior complete response to first-line chemotherapy program). Four cycles of paclitaxel, ifosfamide 5 g/m 2 , and cisplatin 100 mg/m 2 were given 21 days apart with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support, followed by resection of radiographic residua. The dose of paclitaxel was increased among cohorts with dose levels of 175, 215, and 250 mg/m 2 ; the largest dose was selected for the phase II part of the trial. RESULTS: Twenty-three (77%) of 30 patients achieved a complete response to chemotherapy alone, and one patient achieved a durable partial response with normal tumor markers. Therefore, 24 (80%) achieved a favorable response. Eleven patients with normalized markers after chemotherapy underwent resection of residual tissue, with only necrosis found in 10 and mature teratoma in one. Two patients relapsed, and 22 (73%) of the favorable responses remain durable at a median follow-up duration of 33 months. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity, and two patients had grade 3 neurotoxicity. CONCLUSION: Four cycles of TIP was associated with a high proportion of patients who achieved a complete response, a lack of relapse, and relative tolerability as an ifosfamide-containing salvage regimen for testicular GCTs. The high durable complete response proportion emphasizes the importance of patient selection according to prognostic factors for a favorable outcome to conventional-dose salvage therapy.
4551 Background: The current recommendation for the management of patients with the histologic finding of fibrosis or teratoma at PC-RPLND is surveillance. We evaluated men at our institution who underwent PC-RPLND for metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) to determine predictors of disease recurrence. Methods: From 1989 through 2003, a total of 532 men underwent PC-RPLND for metastatic NSGCT at our institution. Of these, 473 (89%) had either fibrosis or teratoma present in the RPLND specimen. Following IRB approval, clinical and pathologic data were obtained from our prospective surgical database. A Cox regression model was constructed to evaluate variables that may predict for recurrence of viable NSGCT following PC-RPLND and a prognostic index was developed. Freedom from disease recurrence was analyzed using the Kaplan Meier method. Results: Of the 473 patients with fibrosis or teratoma, all patients underwent complete resection of all residual retroperitoneal masses, however 35 (7%) did not undergo a full PC-RPLND. With a median follow-up of 41 months, 47 (10%) patients relapsed with viable NSGCT. The 2- and 5- year probability of freedom from recurrent viable GCT for the entire cohort was 90% and 89%, respectively. In our multivariable model only post-chemotherapy nodal size > 5cm (p = 0.008), clinical stage III (p = 0.002), and absence of a full PC-RPLND (p = 0.002) were independent predictors for recurrence with viable NSGCT. Based on these three adverse predictors, a prognostic index was developed with favorable patients having no risk factors, intermediate prognosis patients with one risk factor, and poor prognosis patients having 2 or more risk factors. Favorable, intermediate, and poor prognosis patients had a 2-year progression free probability of 97% (95% CI 95–99%), 90% (95% CI 85–95%), and 66% (95% CI 54–78%), respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This data suggests that patients who have a high risk of reucrrence with viable GCT should undergo more frequent follow-up during the first 2-years with serum tumor markers and imaging. Additionally, this data suggests that an incomlete RPLND is not sufficient surgery for men with metastatic NSGCT. These men should undergo a bilateral RPLND. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
PURPOSE: We describe the response to conventional or high-dose salvage chemotherapy in patients with advanced seminoma who experience disease progression after receiving first-line platinum-based treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with progressive, advanced, pure seminoma were treated with salvage chemotherapy. Fifteen patients were treated with conventional-dose cisplatin-and-ifosfamide combination chemotherapy. Twelve patients were treated with high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem-cell rescue. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (56%) achieved a complete response (CR), nine achieved CR with a conventional-dose cisplatin and ifosfamide program, and six experienced CR after high-dose chemotherapy. Fourteen patients (52%) are alive and disease-free, with 13 (48%) continuously disease-free at a median follow-up of 72 months. Twelve (57%) of 21 patients whose pretreatment tumors were studied morphologically were found to have seminoma with atypia. Eight patients underwent resection after salvage chemotherapy; six with histologic findings of necrotic debris/fibrosis alone are alive and disease-free at last follow-up. Both patients with viable seminoma found at surgery died of disease. CONCLUSION: Most patients with advanced seminoma are cured with standard first-line programs of cisplatin and etoposide with or without bleomycin. A small minority of patients with pure seminoma have resistant tumors and require salvage chemotherapy. In this setting, approximately 50% of patients with recurrent pure seminoma achieve durable CR with conventional or high-dose salvage chemotherapy. Identification of biologic markers to predict clinical outcome and an enhanced understanding of the basic biologic features of seminoma may lead to improvements in the management of this disease.
Purpose Late relapse (LR) of germ cell tumor (GCT) is a well recognized entity associated with poor survival. We report on our experience with LR and determine predictors of survival. Patients and Methods From 1990 to 2004, 75 patients were managed for LR of GCT at our institution. Clinical and pathologic parameters were reviewed. Estimates of cancer-specific survival were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess potential predictors of outcome. Results The median time to LR was 6.9 years (range, 2.1 to 37.7 years). Overall, 56 patients (75%) had LR in the retroperitoneum, including 25 (93%) of 27 patients initially managed without retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. The 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 60% (95% CI, 46% to 71%). Patients who underwent complete surgical resection at time of LR (n = 45) had a 5-year CSS of 79% versus 36% for patients without complete resection (n = 30; P < .0001). The 5-year CSS for chemotherapy-naive patients was significantly greater than patients with a prior history of chemotherapy as part of their initial management (5-year CSS, 93% v 49%, respectively). In multivariable analysis of pretreatment parameters available at the time of LR, the presence of symptoms (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.9) and multifocal disease (HR = 3.0) were associated with an inferior CSS. Conclusion The data suggest that meticulous control of the retroperitoneum is critical to prevent LR in the retroperitoneum. In multivariable analysis, patients with a symptomatic presentation and those with multifocal disease have a significantly decreased survival. Survival is greatly improved if complete surgical excision of disease is attained.
Nima Almassi and Joel Sheinfeld have no conflicts of interest to report. John P. Mulhall serves as a consultant for Vault Health. Samuel A. Funt has received research support from AstraZeneca and Genentech/Roche, has served in a consulting or advisory role for Decibel, AstraZeneza, and Immunai, and has stock or other ownership interests in Urogen, Allogene Therapeutics, Neogene Therapeutics, Vaxigene, Kronos Bio, and Vida Ventures.
