Surveillance in stage I testicular cancer

APMIS. 2003 Jan;111(1):76-83; discussion 83-5. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0463.2003.11101111.x.

Abstract

Treatment results on 695 stage I testicular cancer patients followed with surveillance are described. Seminoma (SGCT) was present in 394 patients and nonseminoma (NSGCT) in 301 patients. Relapses were detected in 155 patients (22%), in 69 patients with SGCT (17%) and 86 with NSGCT (29%). In patients with vascular invasion, relapse was detected in 54% of patients with NSGCT and 38% of patients with SGCT. Time to relapse was median 13 months (range 1 to 84 months) for SGCT and 5 months (range 1 to 171 months) for NSGCT. Forty-nine percent of relapses in SGCT patients were seen within the first year, 87% of the relapses were diagnosed within the first two years, and 98% of the relapses were detected within 5 years. The figures for NSGCT were 80%, 89% and 95%, respectively. Forty-five patients had carcinoma in situ in the contralateral testis, 62% had this together with a seminoma in the other testis. Ten patients died during the follow-up period. None of these deaths were caused by the germ cell tumour or the treatment. The overall survival for patients with stage I disease is 98.6%, and the cause specific survival 100%.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Cohort Studies
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Denmark
  • Germinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Germinoma / pathology
  • Germinoma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / pathology
  • Orchiectomy
  • Physical Examination
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Radiography
  • Seminoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Seminoma / pathology
  • Seminoma / surgery
  • Survival Rate
  • Testicular Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Testicular Neoplasms / pathology
  • Testicular Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor