Onkológia 2/2009

Systemic treatment of poor prognosis germ cell tumors

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) belong to the most chemosensitive solid tumors and represent a model for a curable cancer. Cisplatin represents the mainstay in the treatment of TGCTs. Cisplatin-based 1st line chemotherapy can cure about 70 – 80 % of patients with disseminated testicular cancer. Salvage chemotherapy with standard dose cisplatin plus previously not utilized drugs will cure 20 – 25% of patients who were not initially cured with their induction chemotherapy. This review summarizes the current treatment approaches in this patient´s population.

Keywords: testicular tumors, cisplatin, salvage therapy