Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Survivors Research Articles

Cardiometabolic assessment through erythrocyte fatty acid profile, cardiometabolic index (CMI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) in testicular germ-cell tumor survivors

Cardiometabolic assessment through erythrocyte fatty acid profile, cardiometabolic index (CMI), and lipid accumulation product (LAP) in testicular germ-cell tumor survivors

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) as a Predictor of Decreased Quality of Life in Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Survivors

BackgroundChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) after curative treatment for testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) has been previously reported. It has been shown that CIPN can contribute to impaired quality of life (QOL) in cancer survivors. Herein, we aimed to evaluate CIPN in association with QOL in GCT survivors. Patients and methodsEuropean Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life - Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy questionnaire (QLQ-CIPN20) and Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) were prospectively completed by GCT survivors (N = 151) at National Cancer Institute in Slovakia during their annual follow-up. The median follow-up was 10 years (range 4-30). Upon obtaining the scores from each questionnaire, each score from QLQ-C30 was correlated with CIPN defined as high or low (above and below median) as obtained from CIPN20. ResultsGCT survivors with high overall CIPN score reported impaired QOL in QLQ-C30. The global health status was lower in survivors with high CIPN versus low CIPN (mean score ± SEM: 67.17 ± 2.00 vs. 86.18 ± 1.76, P < .00001). Survivors with high CIPN reported worse physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning compared to survivors with low CIPN (all P < .00001). CIPN high survivors perceived more fatigue, nausea, pain, dyspnea, sleeping disorders, and appetite loss compared to CIPN low survivors (all P < .004). Higher burden of CIPN was associated with more financial problems vs CIPN low (mean score ± SEM: 19.70 ± 2.64 vs. 6.67 ± 2.32, P = .00025). Spearman analysis has confirmed negative correlation of overall CIPN20 score with QLQ-C30 global health status (R = −0.53, P < .0001). ConclusionCIPN is a strong predictor of impairment in QOL among GCT survivors. Molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicity should be intensively studied to find preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Longitudinal assessment of cognitive functioning in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

514 Background: Survivors of testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) may experience late toxicities derived from cancer treatment. Long-term cognitive impairment has been previously described in GCT survivors. This study aimed to prospectively perform a longitudinal assessment of cognitive functioning in GCT survivors. Methods: GCT survivors (N = 151) from National Cancer Institute in Slovakia completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) questionnaires during their annual follow-up visits. The study group consisted of survivors who completed at least four consecutive follow-up visits. The median of the 1st follow-up visit was 8 years (range 4-24). Survivors were treated with orchiectomy and active surveillance only (AS) (N = 21), cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CT) (N = 109), radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum (RT) (N = 11) or both chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CTRT) (N = 10). According to the received treatment, we longitudinally assessed cognitive scores in four cognitive domains: perceived cognitive impairment (CogPCI), quality of life affected by cognitive impairment (CogQoL), cognitive impairment perceived by others (CogOth) and perceived cognitive abilities (CogPCA), and overall cognitive function score. We also performed a subgroup analysis of survivors receiving cumulative doses &lt; 400 mg/m2 (N = 48) and ≥ 400 mg/m2 (N = 70) of cisplatin. Results: Survivors treated with CTRT had persistently lower scores in CogPCA domain annually between the 1st and the 5th follow-up compared to AS group (all p &lt; 0.05). CTRT group also had lower overall cognitive function scores compared to AS (all p &lt; 0.03) in all follow-ups between the 2nd and the 5th follow-up visit. Survivors who received ≥ 400 mg/m2 of cisplatin had lower scores in CogPCA domain at the 1st and the 2nd follow-up visit compared to AS (mean score ± SEM: 21.56 ± 0.66 vs. 24.10 ± 0.63, p = 0.05, and 21.14 ± 0.59 vs. 23.76 ± 0.98, p = 0.014), lower overall cognitive function score at the 2nd follow-up compared to AS (110.66 ± 2.06 vs. 118.75 ± 2.66, p = 0.048), followed by a nonsignificant numerical trend of decline in CogPCA domain and overall cognitive score annually from the 3rd to the 5th follow-up. There was a nonsignificant numerical decline in all survivors annually between the 1st and the 4th follow-up in all cognitive domains and overall cognitive score. We observed a similar trend in all treatment groups separately. Conclusions: GCT survivors experience a long-term cognitive impairment that changes moderately over time. Survivors who received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had the worst cognitive performance persisting at all follow-up visits. In addition, we observed a cognitive decline in survivors who received higher doses of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. To date, this is the first study that prospectively performed a longitudinal assessment of long-term cognitive functioning in GCT survivors.

Habitual physical activity modulates cardiometabolic health in long-term testicular cancer survivors

PurposesPhysical activity (PA) may mitigate late cardiometabolic toxicity of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) long-term survivors. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the effects of habitual PA on metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence, and on the markers of cardiometabolic health and chronic inflammation in a population of long-term TGCT survivors.MethodsMetS prevalence was evaluated, and habitual PA was assessed using Baecke’s habitual PA questionnaire in TGCT survivors (n=195, age=41.1±8.1years, 11.7±5.2years post-therapy) and healthy male controls (n=41, age=38.2±8.8years). Participants were stratified into low- and high-PA groups based on median values. Differences were examined between low- and high-PA groups (in the entire sample, TGCT survivor sub-samples differing in disease stage, and healthy controls), and between TGCT survivors and controls. Next, TGCT survivors were stratified into age- and BMI-matched sub-groups based on post-treatment time (5–15/15/30years) and number of chemotherapy cycles (≤3/>3), allowing us to detect age- and BMI-independent effects of habitual PA on cardiometabolic health in the given TGCT survivor sub-populations. A correlation matrix of habitual PA and sport activity with cardiometabolic and pro-inflammatory markers was generated.ResultsTGCT survivors had higher MetS prevalence than controls. Patients with high habitual PA had lower waist circumference and Systemic Inflammation Index. Habitual PA scores correlated positively with HDL-cholesterol and negatively with waist circumference and atherogenic risk. Furthermore, cardiometabolic benefits of habitual PA were more pronounced in patients with disease stages 1 and 2. Effects of habitual PA on patients sub-populations stratified by chemotherapy dose and post-treatment time clearly showed that higher levels of habitual PA were associated with lower numbers of MetS components, except for patients who received more than 3 chemotherapy cycles and were examined more than15 years post-therapy.ConclusionsHigher levels of habitual PA effectively mitigated cardiometabolic toxicity in TGCT survivors. Patients with higher cumulative doses of chemotherapy may need structured exercise interventions involving higher-intensity physical activity to achieve significant improvements in cardiometabolic health.

Quality of life assessment in testicular non-seminomatous germ cell tumour survivors.

Patients with Germ cell tumours (GCT) are at risk of long-term toxicities due to multimodality therapy. It is debatable whether there is an impact on the quality of life(QoL) of GCT survivors. A case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in India, using the EORTC QLQ C30 questionnaire, to compare the QoL between GCT survivors(disease free > 2years) and healthy matched controls. A multivariate regression model was used to identify factors affecting QoL. A total of 55 cases and 100 controls were recruited. Cases had a median age of 32years (interquartile range, IQR 28-40years), ECOG PS of 0-1(75%), advanced stage III (58%), chemotherapy (94%) and 66% were > 5years from diagnosis. The median age of controls: 35years (IQR 28-43years). A statistically significant difference was seen for emotional (85.8 ± 14.2 vs 91.7 ± 10.4, p 0.005), social(83.0 ± 22.0 vs 95.2 ± 9.6, p < 0.001) and global scales (80.4 ± 21.1 vs 91.3 ± 9.7, p < 0.001). Cases had more nausea and vomiting(3.3 ± 7.4 vs 1.0 ± 3.9, p 0.015), pain(13.9 ± 13.9 vs 4.8 ± 9.8, p < 0.001), dyspnea(7.9 + 14.3 vs 2.7 ± 9.1, p 0.007), and appetite loss(6.7 ± 14.9 vs 1.9 ± 7.9, p 0.016) and greater financial toxicity(31.5 ± 32.3 vs 9.0 ± 16.3, p < 0.001). Adjusting for age, performance status, BMI, stage, chemotherapy, RPLND, recurrent disease, and time since diagnosis, no predictive variables were significant. There is a detrimental impact of history of GCT in long term survivors of GCT.

From Surviving Cancer to Getting on With Life: Adult Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Survivors' Perspectives on Transition From Follow-Up Care to Long-Term Survivorship.

With an increasing incidence and a high cure rate, a growing number of testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) survivors require specialized follow-up care. However, knowledge of these patients' needs is lacking, leaving TGCT survivors with unmet care needs at risk of symptom burden when transitioning to long-term survivorship. This grounded theory study aimed to understand the perspectives of TGCT survivors' transition from follow-up care to long-term survivorship. A total of 12 adult TGCT survivors in follow-up care or completion less than a year were in-depth semi-structured interviewed. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed by constant comparison, and the core category "Dealing with back-and-forth forces" emerged in the integrated concepts. Two comparative processes in dealing with those forces were identified: the process of Living beyond the sword of Damocles involved the transition from feeling threatened by cancer to overcoming those threats; the process of Getting on with one's life can be described as transitioning from a period where cancer overruled their lives to carrying on with everyday life. The processes toward long-term survivorship follow general characteristics; the transition itself is an individual journey that depends on (life) experiences. The constructed model can guide healthcare professionals and researchers involved in TGCT survivorship to understand TGCT survivors' individual and ensuing needs. When TGCT survivors receive individualized and tailored follow-up care, it can assist in preventing and reducing long-term and late effects on long-term survivorship.

Long-term outcomes of adolescents and young adults with testicular germ cell tumors: A population-based retrospective matched cohort study.

12016 Background: Testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) survival exceeds 90%, but survivors of adult TGCT are at risk of developing late effects. Little is known about the risk for late effects in survivors of TGCT in children, adolescents, or young adults (CAYA). Methods: We identified all CAYA aged 11-21 years at TGCT diagnosis in Ontario, Canada, between 1992-2021. Those with complete treatment records were matched 1:5 by birth date and postal code at diagnosis to individuals from the general population (controls). Controls’ index date was defined as the diagnosis date of their survivor match. Participants were linked to health administrative databases to identify second malignant neoplasms (SMN); cardiovascular disease (CVD: congestive heart failure [CHF], myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, pericardial disease, valvular abnormalities, arrhythmia, stroke, hypertension); renal disease (dialysis, kidney transplant); and hearing loss (physician-diagnosed hearing loss, hearing aid use). Cumulative incidences were compared between survivors and controls, and between chemotherapy and surgery treated survivors using Gray’s test. Cox proportional hazard models compared the risk of late effects between survivors and controls. Results: 521 TGCT survivors (296 chemotherapy treated, 225 treated with surgery only) were matched to 2605 controls. Median age at diagnosis/index date was 19 years. Survivors’ median follow-up time was 14.8 years (interquartile range: 10.7-21.7). Compared to controls, survivors had higher 15-year incidence and hazard ratio (HR) of all SMN (5.0% vs 0.5%; HR 8.4, p &lt; .0001), non-testicular SMN (2.1% vs 0.5%; HR 3.8, p = 0.0003), dialysis (1.0% vs 0.04%; HR 12.4, p = 0.003), kidney transplant (0.4% vs 0.0%, p = 0.002), hearing loss (7.1% vs 3.1%; HR 1.8, p = 0.005), and hearing aid use (1.0% vs 0.2%; HR 4.1, p = 0.02). Survivors were at substantially increased risk of any CVD (8.2% vs 5.5%; HR 1.4, p &lt; 0.03), CHF (1.2% vs. 0.2%; HR 5.0, p = 0.006), arrhythmia (1.8% vs 0.5%; HR 3.4, p = 0.002), and stroke (0.8% vs 0.05%; HR 8.7, p = 0.0006) despite no anthracycline exposure. Compared to surgery only treated survivors, chemotherapy treated survivors had higher 15-year incidence of any CVD (13.1% vs 2.0%, p &lt; 0.0001), CHF (2.1% vs 0.0%, p = 0.03), arrhythmia (3.3% vs 0.0%, p = 0.02), stroke (1.4% vs 0.0%, p = 0.02), hypertension (7.4% vs 2.0%, p = 0.009), and hearing loss (10.2% vs 3.0%, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Survivors of TGCT during CAYA are at considerable risk for late effects affecting multiple organ systems. In addition to previously described morbidities like hearing loss, survivors (particularly those who received chemotherapy) are at higher risk of CVD. Despite excellent rates of cure, TGCT survivors diagnosed at a young age require life-long risk-directed follow-up to maximize their long-term health.

Cognitive impairment and biomarkers of gut microbial translocation in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

Survivors of testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) may suffer from late cognitive impairment. We hypothesized that disruption of intestinal barrier during chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be a contributing factor of cognitive dysfunction within the gut-blood-brain axis. GCT survivors (N = 142) from National Cancer Institute of Slovakia completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function questionnaires during their annual follow-up visit at 9-year median (range 4-32). Biomarkers of gut microbial translocation and dysbiosis high mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), lipopolysaccharide, d-lactate and sCD14 were measured from peripheral blood obtained during the same visit. Each questionnaire score was correlated with biomarkers. Survivors were treated with orchiectomy only (N = 17), cisplatin-based chemotherapy (N = 108), radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum (N = 11) or both (N = 6). GCT survivors with higher sCD14 (above median) had worse cognitive function perceived by others (CogOth domain) (mean ± SEM; 14.6 ± 0.25 vs 15.4 ± 0.25, p = 0.019), lower perceived cognitive abilities (CogPCA domain) (20.0 ± 0.74 vs 23.4 ± 0.73, p = 0.025) and lower overall cognitive function score (109.2 ± 0.74 vs 116.7 ± 1.90, p = 0.021). There were no significant cognitive declines associated with HMGB-1, d-lactate and lipopolysaccharide. Survivors treated with ≥ 400mg/m2 vs < 400mg/m2 of cisplatin-based chemotherapy had a higher lipopolysaccharide (567.8 μg/L ± 42.7 vs 462.9 μg/L ± 51.9, (p = 0.03). sCD14 is a marker of monocytic activation by lipopolysaccharide and may also serve as a promising biomarker of cognitive impairment in long-term cancer survivors. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced intestinal injury may be the underlying mechanism, further research using animal models and larger patient cohorts are needed to explore the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in GCT survivors within the gut-brain axis.

Risk of osteoporosis in testicular germ cell tumour survivors: A systematic review of the literature.

Testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) survivors are potentially at risk of developing osteoporosis, because of increased risk for disturbed bone remodelling associated with hypogonadism and anti-cancer treatment. A number of studies show bone loss and increased fracture risk in TGCT survivors, but data are scarce. There are no clinical guidelines or recommendations issued to address skeletal health in this group of patients potentially at high risk for osteoporosis. To conduct a systematic review of available literature addressing bone health in TGCT patients. Subgroup analysis was performed to identify risk factors for bone loss and increased fracture risk. Relevant databases, including MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library, including all English written comparative studies addressing bone health in TGCT patients, were searched up to December 2021 and a narrative synthesis was undertaken. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using Cochrane ROBINS-I tool. Ten studies (eight cross-sectional and two longitudinal), recruiting a total of 1997 unique TGCT patients, were identified and included in the analysis. Bone health was reported in various ways in different studies, and subgroups were defined heterogeneously, resulting in a widely varying prevalence of osteoporosis of up to 73.2% of patients. Six studies reported low BMD associated with higher luteinizing hormone levels and one study showed a correlation between follow up duration and bone loss. TGCT survivors are at risk of developing osteoporosis and sustaining fragility fractures. Chemotherapy, pituitary-gonadal axis dysfunction and ageing are key risk factors, although available data are scarce. With increasing survival of TGCT patients, a clear unmet need has been identified to systematically evaluate and monitor skeletal health in larger numbers of survivors in order to develop best clinical practice guidelines to manage the insidious but potentially preventable and treatable skeletal complications of TGCT.

Burden of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and associations with long-term sexual impairment in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

e17014 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN20) after curative treatment for testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) has been previously reported. The association of CIPN with long-term sexual function in GCT survivors remains unclear. Methods: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) CIPN20 and PROMIS modified sexual function (SexF) questionnaires were prospectively completed by GCT survivors (N = 128) at National Cancer Institute in Slovakia during their annual follow-up visit. The median follow-up after completion of treatment was 10 years (range 4-25). Upon obtaining the scores from each questionnaire per recommended guidelines, each score from SexF was correlated with CIPN defined as high or low (above and below median) as obtained from CIPN20. Survivors were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum or both. Results: GCT survivors with CIPN reported a self-perceived sexual impairment. The overall perceived sexual impairment was higher in survivors with high vs low CIPN (mean score ± SEM: 7.44 ± 0.24 vs. 6.76 ± 0.21, P = 0.05). However, the overall perceived sexual abilities were not significantly different in CIPN high vs low (16.9 ± 0.68 vs. 16.8 ± 0.59, P = 0.97). The trend towards higher difficulty in maintaining erection was seen in CIPN high vs low survivors (3.94 ± 0.21 vs. 4.12 ± 0.18, P = 0.07). Furthermore, survivors with CIPN high were more disappointed with the quality of their sex life compared to those with CIPN low (1.96 ± 0.12 vs. 1.47 ± 0.11, P = 0.01). Patients with CIPN high had trend towards more anxiety from sexual relationships compared to CIPN low survivors (1.66 ± 0.11 vs. 1.33 ± 0.10, P = 0.06). The level of sexual desire, number of attempts to initiate sexual intercourse, ability to achieve erection, achieve orgasm were not different ( P all &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: GCT survivors with higher burden of CIPN have certain impairment in sexual functioning. We hypothesize there may be a common pathogenetic mechanism of induction in these long-term toxicities of curative treatments.

Late adverse effects and quality of life in survivors of testicular germ cell tumour.

Currently, ~95% of patients with testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) are cured, resulting in an increasing number of TGCT survivors. Although cured, these men face potential late adverse effects and reduced quality of life. Survivors face a twofold increased risk of second malignant neoplasms after chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with evidence of dose-dependent associations. For survivors managed with surveillance or treated with radiotherapy, the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is comparable to the risk in the general population, whereas treatment with chemotherapy increases the risk of life-threatening CVD, especially during treatment and after 10 years of follow-up. Other adverse effects are organ-related toxicities such as neuropathy and ototoxicity. Pulmonary and renal impairment in patients with TGCT treated with chemotherapy is limited. Survivors of TGCT might experience psychosocial distress including anxiety disorders, fear of cancer recurrence and TGCT-specific issues, such as sexual dysfunction. Late adverse effects can be avoided in most patients with stage I disease if followed on a surveillance programme. However, patients with disseminated disease can experience toxicities associated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and/or adverse effects related to surgery for residual disease. The severity of adverse effects increases with dose of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This Review discusses the most recent data concerning the late adverse effects of today's standard treatments for TGCT.

What is the damage? Testicular germ cell tumour survivors deficient in testosterone at risk of metabolic syndrome and a need for medical intervention.

Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) survivors are coping with late treatment sequelae. Testosterone deficiency may contribute to earlier onset of metabolic syndrome. The study aimed to assess connections between serum testosterone concentrations and metabolic disorders as well as body composition in TGCT survivors. 336 TGCT patients with over two years of complete post-treatment remission were divided into three groups: definite testosterone deficiency (< 8nmol/L), 'grey zone' (8-12nmol/L) and normal testosterone (> 12nmol/L; control group) to assess differences in metabolism. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The multivariate analysis assessed the risk of metabolic disorders and changes in body composition with regard to testosterone concentrations adjusted for age, smoking history, clinical stage, type of treatment and follow-up period. 14% of patients presented with definite testosterone deficiency; 46% were in the 'grey zone'. On multivariate analysis, low testosterone levels were related to hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, inflammatory processes, procoagulant state and obesity. The odds ratio (OR) for the onset of metabolic syndrome was 2.87 (95% CI 1.74-4.73, p < 0.001) for the 'grey zone' patients and 7.92 (95% CI 3.76-16.70, p < 0.001) for those with definite testosterone deficiency. Testosterone concentrations were independently associated with metabolic disorders in TGCT survivors. Testicular cancer survivors often have lower testosterone and metabolic disorders. Apart from recurrence, follow-up should focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, preventing and managing late effects.

Effect of long-term peripheral neuropathy induced on cisplatin-based chemotherapy or radiation to the retroperitoneum in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

e17062 Background: Treatment for testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) results in late chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study aimed to evaluate impact of curative treatments on different subtypes of self-reported peripheral nerve damage. Methods: GCT survivors (N = 186) followed-up annually at National Cancer Institute in Slovakia have prospectively completed European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) CIPN20 questionnaire at 10 years of median follow-up (range 4-25). EORTC CIPN20 scoring allowed to obtain subscales on sensory function, motor function and autonomy function as well as an overall score. Study groups consisted of survivors treated with chemotherapy (N = 141) and radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum (N = 15). The control group consisted of survivors cured with orchiectomy alone (N = 30) Results: GCT survivors cured with chemotherapy reported higher impairment in overall peripheral neurological function compared to controls (mean score ± SEM: 24.2 ± 0.5 vs. 22.3 ± 1.1, P = 0.03). CIPN20 subscales have shown greater impairment in motor function (P = 0.04), but not in sensory/autonomy functions (both P &gt; 0.05) in chemotherapy group versus controls. Survivors treated with BEPx3 or EPx4 reported similar CIPN in all subscales (all P &gt; 0.05). Motor function was worse in survivors who received ³400mg/m2 of cisplatin compared to ones who received &lt; 400mg/m2 (mean score ± SEM: 9.5 ± 0.2 vs. 8.9 ± 0.3, P = 0.04). Interestingly, patients treated with radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum (but not with chemotherapy) suffered from significantly more peripheral neuropathy in all measured domains compared to the controls (all P &lt; 0.02) Conclusions: Evaluation of long-term perceived peripheral neuropathy after treatment for GCT has shown primarily motor function impairment after chemotherapy. Moreover, significant peripheral neuropathy in all observed CIPN20 subscales after radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum suggests this symptom is not exclusive to cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) as a predictor of decreased quality of life and cognitive impairment in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

e17063 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN20) after curative treatment for testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) has been previously reported. The impact of CIPN on long-term quality of life (QOL) in GCT survivors remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to evaluate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN20) in association with QOL in GCT survivors. Methods: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) CIPN20, QLQ-C30 and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) questionnaires were prospectively completed by GCT survivors (N = 153) at National Cancer Institute in Slovakia during their annual follow-up. The median follow-up was 10 years (range 4-25). Upon obtaining the scores from each questionnaire per recommended guidelines, each score from QLQ-C30 and FACT-Cog was correlated with CIPN defined as high or low (above and below median) as obtained from CIPN20. Results: GCT survivors with CIPN high reported impairment in quality of life in QLQ-C30. The global health status was lower in survivors with high vs low CIPN (mean score ± SEM: 66.5 ± 1.9 vs. 86.2 ± 1.8, P &lt; 0.00001). Survivors with CIPN high reported substantially worse physical, role, emotional, cognitive and social functioning compared to CIPN low (all P &lt; 0.00001). CIPN high survivors perceived more fatigue, nausea, pain, dyspnoea, appetite loss and more sleeping disorders compared to CIPN low (all P &lt; 0.0001). Higher burden of CIPN was associated with more financial problems vs CIPN low (mean score ± SEM: 19.6 ± 2.6 vs. 6.67 ± 2.3, P = 0.0002). Cognitive impairment was higher in all FACT-Cog domains including the overall cognitive function score (all P &lt; 0.001) for CIPN high. Spearman analysis has confirmed negative correlations of CIPN20 overall score with QLQ-C30 global health status (R = -0.54, P &lt; 0.0001) and with FACT-Cog overall cognitive function score (R = -0.52, P &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: CIPN is a powerful predictor of disturbances in QOL and cognitive functioning among GCT survivors. Physicians should never over-treat patients unnecessarily and novel therapies with lower burden of late toxicity should be researched

Health related quality of life analysis among testicular germ cell tumor survivors treated in a tertiary cancer hospital in India.

e16057 Background: Testicular Germ Cell Tumor (TGCT) is a highly curable malignancy treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The available literature has conflicting results on quality of life (QoL) of survivors determined using various tools. There is no Indian data on QoL among TGCT patients. Methods: The study was a prospective case-control study. EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire were administered to survivors (last treatment completed at least 2 years back) and healthy age matched controls attending the uro-malignancy clinic of AIIMS between 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2018. The functional, symptom and global QoL scales were scored as per EORTC manual and were compared with each other using student t-test and Mann-Whitney test. The data was analysed with stata v.13.0. Results: The mean scores of all domains of functional scales and global QoL of 114 TGCT survivors were significantly worse than 100 controls except role functioning and cognitive functioning (Table). The symptom scores of cases were significantly worse for each domain except insomnia and constipation (Table). There was no difference in QoL parameters between Seminoma or Non-Seminoma or different stages of GCT. Conclusions: The QoL among TGCT survivors was significantly inferior indicating the long term physical, emotional, social, sexual and financial effects of disease and its treatment on survivors. More robust tools and studies are needed to better define QoL among survivors. ± SD of Functional, symptom and Global QoL Scales) [Table: see text]

Long-term sexual impairment in relationship with metabolic health in testicular germ-cell tumor survivors.

e16060 Background: Treatment for germ-cell tumors (GCT) results in long-term sexual difficulties in GCT survivors, as we have shown previously. This study aimed to correlate the long-term sexual difficulties with serum parameters of metabolic functioning. Methods: GCT survivors (N = 155) from a national cancer center completed a Sexual Function Questionnaire that was modified from PROMIS Sexual Function and Satisfaction Questionnaire at a median 10 years of follow up (range 5-32). Twenty-nine (18%), 30 (19%) and 20 (13%) survivors have suffered from severe difficulty to achieve erection, maintain erection and achieve orgasm, respectively. Severe difficulty was characterized as a score of 0-2 (scale 0-5) in respective questions from the questionnaire. Sexual impairment was then correlated with parameters of metabolic functioning assessed from peripheral blood of all survivors drawn at the day of the clinical visit. Results: Survivors with difficulty to achieve erection had significantly higher levels of alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) and lactate-dehydrogenase (all P &lt; 0.05). Impaired ability to achieve an orgasm also correlated with significantly higher levels of ALT, AST and LDH (all P &lt; 0.05). Survivors with difficulty to maintain erection had higher levels of LDH (P = 0.02) and AST (trend for P = 0.06), but not ALT ( P = 0.5) and their cholesterol levels were significantly higher ( P = 0.04). Furthermore, survivors with higher levels of glucose ( P = 0.04), thyroid stimulating hormone ( P = 0.04), but not of free-thyroxin ( P = 0.3) suffered from difficulty to achieve orgasm. Conclusions: Our prospective study shows that an impairment in sexual function resulting from curative treatment of GCTs may be related to metabolic health. Higher liver enzymes may be indicative of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disorder. Long-term sexual impairment in GCT survivors should be a subject of further translational research to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Recommendations for surveillance and follow-up of men with testicular germ cell tumors: a multidisciplinary consensus conference by the Italian Germ cell cancer Group and the Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica.

No compelling evidence is available about surveillance and follow-up of patients with testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT). In the light of the best clinical evidence, the Italian Germ cell cancer Group (IGG) and the Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica (AIOM) set up a multidisciplinary national consensus conference, involving 42 leading experts and 3 TGCT survivors. A minimum of 50% of votes was required in order to achieve a consensus recommendation on 29 questions. Recommendations have been summarized in three tables, divided by stage I seminoma, stage I nonseminoma and the advanced disease, which may be useful for clinicians to appropriately choose the clinical investigation and its timing during the surveillance and follow-up of TGCT patients based on an accurate estimation of their risk of disease relapse. The IGG-AIOM consensus recommendations may help clinicians to choose appropriate clinical investigations for the surveillance and follow-up of TGCT patients.

Cognitive declines in relationship with severe hypogonadism in long-term testicular germ cell tumor survivors: A prospective survivorship study.

e22104Background: Long-term testicular germ cell tumor (GCT) survivors suffer from long-term cognitive function declines. We aimed to evaluate, whether patients with hypogonadism are more vulnerabl...

Quality of life issues in long-term testicular germ cell tumor survivors.

e22107Background: Curative treatment for testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) may lead to adverse health sequelae. This study aimed to evaluate a long-term quality of life (QOL) in GCT survivors. Met...

Long-Term Cognitive Functioning in Testicular Germ-Cell Tumor Survivors.

Treatment for cancer may lead to development of cognitive difficulties in cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate long-term cognitive functioning (CogF) in germ-cell tumor (GCT) survivors. GCT survivors (n = 155) from the National Cancer Institute of Slovakia completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function at a median of 10 years of follow-up (range: 5-32). The study group consisted of survivors receiving a cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, or both, whereas the control group included survivors treated with orchiectomy only. Of the total survivors, 138 received treatment beyond orchiectomy and 17 controls had orchiectomy alone. Any treatment resulted in significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the overall cognitive function score. Treatment with radiotherapy was associated with cognitive declines in overall cognitive functioning and in subscales for perceived cognitive impairment and cognitive impairment perceived by others (both p < .05). The burden of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy or radiotherapy versus controls resulted in the impairment in all cognitive functioning domains (all p < .05). Overall long-term cognitive impairment was independent of age in the multivariable analysis. This prospective study shows that GCT survivors suffer from a long-term CogF impairment. These results may help guide clinicians' decisions in treatment and follow-up of GCTs. In this study, long-term survivors of germ-cell tumors have reported cognitive impairment after curative treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy compared with controls who had treatment with orchiectomy only. These data provide an argument against the use of adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I seminoma. Unnecessary overtreatment with chemotherapy and additional radiotherapy after chemotherapy should be avoided.