Abstract
A retrospective analysis was performed of 18 patients with primary malignant germ cell tumours of the mediastinum treated with platinum-based chemotherapy between 1977 and 1990. All seven patients with pure seminoma were treated initially with chemotherapy and four of these patients received additional mediastinal radiotherapy. Only one patient relapsed; his initial therapy had included radiotherapy and single-agent carboplatin and he was successfully salvaged with combination chemotherapy. With a follow-up of 11 to 117 months (median 41 months) all seven patients with seminoma remain alive and disease free giving an overall survival of 100%. Eleven patients had malignant non seminoma; following chemotherapy eight of these had elective surgical resection of residual mediastinal masses. Complete remission was achieved in nine (82%) patients, however, one of these patients died from bleomycin pneumonitis. With a follow-up of 12 to 113 months (median 55 months) eight of 11 (73%) patients with malignant mediastinal teratoma remain alive and disease free.
Highlights
All patients with seminoma responded to chemotherapy, one patient relapsed with metastases involving bone and para-aortic lymph nodes 7 months after receiving carboplatin
At present all seven patients with seminoma remain alive and disease free giving an overall survival of 100%
A complete response to chemotherapy and surgery was obtained in nine of the 11 patients with teratoma (CR 82%), one patient who obtained a complete response died from bleomycin pneumonitis
Summary
All patients with seminoma responded to chemotherapy, one patient relapsed with metastases involving bone and para-aortic lymph nodes 7 months after receiving carboplatin. This patient was successfully salvaged using BOPBEP chemotherapy. At present all seven patients with seminoma remain alive and disease free giving an overall survival of 100%. A complete response to chemotherapy and surgery was obtained in nine of the 11 patients with teratoma (CR 82%), one patient who obtained a complete response died from bleomycin pneumonitis. The remaining eight patients remain alive and disease free giving an overall survival of 75%. The two patients who achieved a partial response died from progressive malignancy 5 and 8 months after treatment
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