Cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced seminoma: the Institut Gustave Roussy experience

The aim of this study was to report the results of cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy for patients with pure seminomatous tumours. 72 patients with advanced seminoma were treated with various cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens. 61 (85%) patients achieved a sustained durable response. 11 relapses were observed with a median time to failure of 6 months. Overall, 60 (83%) of the 72 patients remain alive and free of disease after a median follow-up of 64 months. Initial clinical (age, site of primary, prior radiotherapy, extent of disease) and biological (serum human chorionic gonadotrophin levels, serum lactic dehydrogenase levels, p53 immunostaining) features which could be of predictive value for survival, were analysed in a univariate analysis. No variable retained statistical significance. High cure rates are expected after chemotherapy with standard cisplatin-based combinations in advanced seminoma. Renewed efforts are required to identify markers of chemosensitivity.