Risk/Benefit of treating retroperitoneal teratoid bulky tumors

Abstract Inductive polychemotherapy of germinal cell tumors in advanced stages (T 0−4 N 3 M 0,1 ) is effective, yet accompanied by serious side effects. Partial remission necessitates resection of the residual tumor. The complications of the salvage operation are tolerable in proportion to its curativity. In a retrospective analysis, we evaluated the occurrence of toxic side effects and the frequency of intra- and postoperative complications in 128 patients with retroperitoneal teratoid bulky tumor. With a follow-up of three to one hundred ten months ( x = 43 months ), 91 patients (71 %) are alive without evidence of disease; 28 patients (22 %) died of apparent tumor progression.