H. H. Lien

Unilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in patients with non-seminomatous testicular tumor in clinical stage I

19 of 53 patients (36%) with non-seminomatous testicular cancer, clinical stage I (CS I), had retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, pathological stage II (PS II), demonstrated by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RLND). RLND was done unilaterally in peroperatively tumor-free patients (PS I: 34 patients; PS II: 3 patients) and bilaterally if metastatic lymph nodes were found peroperatively. Patients with PS II received adjuvant cis-platinum containing combination chemotherapy. Postoperative tumor activity was observed in 3 patients (median observation time: 31 months). They were cured by salvage chemotherapy. 12-18 months after RLND no ejaculatory disturbances were observed in 28 of 36 unilaterally operated patients. After unilateral RLND, 7 patients fathered children. Unilateral RLND seems to be a sufficient diagnostic procedure in patients with non-seminomatous testicular cancer, CS I, who were found tumor-free during the operation. Fertility is preserved in the majority of the unilaterally operated patients.

Influence of different criteria for abnormal lymph node size on reliability of computed tomography in patients with non-seminomatous testicular tumor.

The reliability of computed tomography (CT) using different criteria for abnormal size of retroperitoneal lymph nodes (5, 10, 15 mm in largest diameter) was evaluated prospectively in 90 consecutive patients with a non-seminomatous testicular tumor and lymph nodes less than 20 mm at CT. Correlation was made with histologic findings following retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy. Histologic examination revealed metastases in 38 patients (42%). Using a strict criterion of 15 mm for abnormal node size, sensitivity was 37%, specificity 98%, positive predictive value 93 % and negative predictive value 68 %. A relaxed criterion of 5 mm led to a sensitivity of 71 %, specificity 67%, positive predictive value 61 % and negative predictive value 76%. Overall accuracy was approximately 70% with the 5, 10 and 15 mm criteria for abnormal size. The inability of a normal scan to exclude metastases was the main limitation of CT.

Lymphography in retroperitoneal metastases in non-seminoma testicular tumor patients with a normal CT scan

Lymphography was performed in 69 patients with a non-seminomatous testicular tumor and a normal CT scan. Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and microscopy were carried out in all patients and revealed metastases in 28, only 4 of whom had a positive lymphogram.

Non-seminomatous testicular cancer clinical stage I: prediction of outcome by histopathological parameters. A multivariate analysis

The clinical course of 186 orchiectomized patients with testicular non-seminoma clinical stage I (CSI) was reviewed together with a reevaluation of the haematoxylin-eosin-stained histological sections of the primary tumour. Treatment (1970-1980) was as follows: abdominal radiotherapy (group 1): 132 patients; observation only (group 2): 23 patients; retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (group 3): 31 patients. Failure of the management (diagnostic error/relapse after treatment) was defined as demonstration of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases (group 3) or relapse during follow-up (group 2 and 3). Ten of the 31 primarily operated patients had retroperitoneal lymph node metastases. (These patients received 3-4 cycles adjuvant cisplatin based on chemotherapy.) Forty-six patients relapsed after a median time of 6 months (range: 2-113). The 10-year cancer-related survival rates for group 1 and 2 were 85 and 73%, respectively. No cancer-related death occurred in group 3 within the first 5 years. In a univariate analysis the following parameters were significantly (p less than 0.05) correlated with management failure: vascular invasion (blood, lymphatic), the presence of syncytiotrophoblasts, the demonstration of the histological subtype MTU. In a multivariate analysis both lymphatic and blood vessel invasion significantly predicted management failure. In 80% of the non-seminoma patients with CSI and both lymphatic and blood vessels invasion in the primary tumour failure of the primary management must be expected. In the multivariate analysis the demonstration of MTU was a predictive factor only if no differentiation was made between lymphatic and blood vessel invasion. The presence or absence of endodermal sinus tumour was not correlated with the failure rate in non-seminoma CSI. Based on easily assessable histopathological parameters of the primary tumour (small vessel invasion in particular) it is possible to define subgroups of patients with non-seminoma CSI who have a high or a low risk of relapse or who are likely to have microscopic retroperitoneal lymph node metastases. Such a differentiation should have therapeutic consequences.

Alterations in the CT image following retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in early stage non-seminomatous testicular tumor.

CT was performed before and after lymphadenectomy in 105 patients with early stage non-seminomatous testicular tumor. Retroperitoneal blurring and retracted bowel were the most common findings and might cause interpretation problems. A reference CT making future comparison possible should be routinely performed two months after the operation.