Surgical salvage of advanced testicular tumours

After combination chemotherapy, 19 patients underwent salvage surgery for testicular neoplasia. Active malignancy was found in nine patients, three of whom have died of the disease. Those with benign residual disease have had a good prognosis without further treatment. Biopsy alone of the residual masses proved reliable in determining which patients were to be simply followed or given further chemotherapy. If active malignancy was not resected fully, the prognosis was very poor. Our policy continues to be to attempt complete excision of residual masses after induction chemotherapy and to give salvage chemotherapy to patients with residual active malignancy.