[The chemotherapy of nonseminomatous testicular tumors]

236 patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors have been treated for the last decade with VAB-6 combination and 188 ones with etoposide-containing regimens BEP and EP. Complete remissions were achieved in 97(41%) VAB-6 treated patients, 72(31%) patients were currently alive without evidence of the disease for 76 months of follow-up. Patients on BEP-EP presented better outcomes: 130(69%) of 188 patients achieved a complete remission and 119(63%) of them were free of symptoms within 47 months of follow-up. In spite of more pronounced toxicity, mainly myelosuppression, etoposide-containing combinations are more efficient than VAB-6 and should be considered as an induction chemotherapy in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.