Clinical stage 1 testicular cancer: the role of modified retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy

A total of 85 patients underwent modified retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis from 1982 to 1989. The technique was a modified bilateral dissection via a thoracoabdominal approach. A full bilateral dissection was done above the level of the inferior mesenteric artery but unilateral dissection was performed below the inferior mesenteric artery using a template method. Of the 85 patients 64 had pathological stage A and 21 had stage B1 disease. Relapses have occurred in 4 of 64 stage A cancer patients (6%) and 3 of 21 stage B1 cancer patients (15%). Antegrade ejaculation was preserved without pharmacological therapy in 75 of 85 patients (88%) and 5 others were converted to antegrade ejaculation with imipramine. Therefore, 80 of 85 patients (94%) have recovered antegrade ejaculation. With a median followup of 38 months 7 relapses have been noted. We conclude that modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection allows for preservation of ejaculation, decreases concern about retroperitoneal understaging and represents the preferred alternative to surveillance protocols for patients with low stage testicular cancer.