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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2006; 54(7): 484-488
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-924246
Original Thoracic

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Pulmonary Metastasectomy Following Chemotherapy in Patients with Testicular Tumors: Experience in 52 Patients

J. Pfannschmidt1 , H. Zabeck1 , T. Muley1 , H. Dienemann1 , H. Hoffmann1
  • 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received December 29, 2005

Publication Date:
06 November 2006 (online)

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Abstract

Background: Surgical resection is an important form of treatment for residual post-chemotherapy pulmonary masses in patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. We analyzed the outcome and prognostic factors after surgery. Methods: Between 1996 and 2001, 52 patients underwent pulmonary resection of thoracic masses following cisplatin-based chemotherapy. These patients' records were subsequently reviewed. Results: The overall 5-year survival rate was 75.8 %. A significantly longer survival was observed using multivariate analysis in patients with normal serum AFP and/or hCG tumor marker levels and after complete surgical resection. In patients with viable malignant tumor cells in the resected specimen and in patients with only necrosis/fibrosis or teratoma, the 5-year survival rates were 49.6 % and 82.8 %, respectively. This difference was only statistically significant in univariate analysis. Conclusions: We conclude that pulmonary resection in metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell tumors is a safe and effective treatment modality. Incomplete resection and elevated tumor marker levels, AFP and/or hCG, were identified as prognosis-related criteria for a poor outcome in multivariate analysis.

Key words

Thoracic surgery - non-seminomatous testicular germ cell tumor - prognostic factor

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MD J. Pfannschmidt

Department of Thoracic Surgery
Thoraxklinik Heidelberg

Amalienstraße 5

69126 Heidelberg

Germany

Phone: + 49 6 22 13 96 11 01

Fax: + 49 6 22 13 96 11 02

Email: joachim.pfannschmidt@thoraxklinik-heidelberg.de

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