Evaluation of lung ventilation and carbon monoxide-diffusing capacity in patients with nonseminomatous testicular tumors treated with bleomycin

Spirometric tests and CO transfer tests were systematically employed before, during, after the therapy and in the follow-up of 33 patients affected by seminomatous testicular tumours treated with 4-5 Einhorn courses (PVB). The aim was to demonstrate possible bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity and its relationship with the cumulative dose of the drug. Our patients, who never had clinical or radiological signs of pulmonary toxicity, did not show significant change in the functional respiratory tests throughout therapy, except for 6 patients who had a reduction in CO transfer of about 30% after the 2nd or 3rd course which persisted up to the end and during the follow-up. We did not find any correlation of such a reduction with predisposing factors.