Advanced seminoma: treatment with cis-platinum-based combination chemotherapy or carboplatin (JM8)

Between 1978 and 1983, 44 patients with advanced seminoma were treated with cis-platinum-based combination chemotherapy (39 patients) or with carboplatin (JM8), as a single agent (5 patients). Of the total group, 40 (90%) are alive and disease free. Two of the 4 patients who died relapsed as non-seminomatous germ-cell tumours. Results in previously untreated patients indicate that tumour volume is less important as a prognostic factor than in non-seminomas. Residual masses were present in almost 80% of patients 1 month after chemotherapy; such masses regress slowly and surgery is not indicated. Elective radiotherapy after chemotherapy appears to be inessential since relapse rates are comparable in irradiated (1/15) and unirradiated patients (1/16). Pretreatment serum HCG concentrations did not influence the outcome of chemotherapy. Preliminary results with JM8 suggest that it is an active single agent in the treatment of seminoma.