Salvage Therapy in Metastatic Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Tumour at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Abstract

This chapter discusses salvage therapy in metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC). The results of salvage chemotherapy at the UTMDACC have resulted in a high cure rate of 58%. The components of therapy were hypothesized that may have contributed to the high cure rate. The salvage treatment strategy was similar in the two groups and consisted of the sequential and frequent delivery of independently effective regimens of BOP, CISCA, POMB, and ACE followed by early surgery for patients with persistent residual disease. Seventy-five percent patients with metastatic chemotherapy–refractory NSGCT of the testis are disease-free with salvage therapy with a median follow-up of 34 months. The higher than anticipated cure rate may be attributed to selection factors or those related to treatment.