[Carboplatin monotherapy in clinical stage I of seminoma. An acceptable alternative?]

Between 1/1990-8/1997 two courses of single agent Carboplatin had been given to 36 patients with clinical stage I seminoma. Within an median follow up period of 52 months (17-88) 29 out of 34 patients were analyzed retrospectively. During this period no recurrences had been noted and nobody of our patients died (0% relapsrate, 100% survival-rate). The Carboplatin-therapy was well tolerated. Myelosuppression after chemotherapy was mild (WHO grade I). The experienced acute toxic side effects (max. grade II WHO) during and after chemotherapy had been nausea (37%), vomiting (14%) and mild hairloss (11%). Until now no long term side effects were noticed. A standardized questionnaire had been used to evaluate the impairment of quality life after single agent carboplatin therapy. After a minimum of one year follow up averagly 79% (62-92%) of the asked patients showed no impairment of their quality of life, whereas 19% (8-38%) of the people experienced mild impairment of their quality of life. Because of the shown low recurrence rate, the minimal toxicity and no relevant impairment of the quality of life single agent carboplatin therapy will be an alternative approach for clinical stage I seminoma.