Postchemotherapy Retroperitoneal Surgery Remains Necessary in Patients With Nonseminomatous Testicular Cancer and Minimal Residual Tumor Masses

Abstract

Purpose: To determine preoperative parameters that predict the histology of specimens obtained by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell cancer (NSGCT) whose residual mass was ≤ 20 mm in diameter after modern cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: Eighty-seven patients with metastatic NSGCT underwent RPLND after having received cisplatin- or carboplatin-based induction chemotherapy. In all patients, the largest diameter of the residual mass on the transaxial plane was ≤ 20 mm, as assessed by abdominal computed tomography (CT) immediately before RPLND. Results: Complete fibrosis or necrosis was found in 58 patients (67%), teratoma was found in 23 patients (26%), and vital malignant germ cell tumor was found in six patients (7%), including one patient with rhabdomyosarcoma in the RPLND specimen. In five of the six latter patients, the residual lesion was ≤ 10 mm at pre-RPLND CT. No pre- or postchemotherapy clinical or radiologic parameter was identified that significantly predicted the histology of the residual mass. Conclusion: One third of retroperitoneal postchemotherapy lesions ≤ 20 mm contained residual vital tumor tissue, despite modern chemotherapy regimens. Therefore, postchemotherapy RPLND remains necessary in patients with minimal-size residual lesions to facilitate easy and safe follow-up and initiate additional therapy as early as possible, thus avoiding recurrences.