Stephen B. Riggs

Postchemotherapy Surgery for Germ Cell Tumors—What Have We Learned in 35 Years?

Postchemotherapy surgery for advanced testicular cancer has evolved over the last couple of decades. Patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors and residual retroperitoneal mass ≥1 cm should undergo postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND). For seminoma, RPLND is considered in those patients with masses ≥3 cm that are also positron emission tomography positive. Masses that occur outside of the retroperitoneum should be completely resected with the possible exception of bilateral lung masses when resection of the first mass shows necrosis. The role of surgery in patients with extragonadal germ cell tumors is most vital in those with primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. Importantly, patient selection, surgical planning, and consideration of referral to centers with this expertise are important to optimize success.

A hypothesis-generating exploratory analysis of efficacy and safety of abiraterone acetate (AA) in African American (Af Am) patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

55 Background: The reported increased prostate cancer lethality in Af Ams has been attributed by some to altered androgen receptor (AR) signaling. We compared toxicity, PSA response, time-to-PSA progression (TTPP), and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) in Af Am vs non Af Am pts with CRPC treated with AA + prednisone (P) vs placebo + P. We hypothesized that differences in response to AA may be observed if differences in AR signaling exist in Af Ams. METHODS COU-AA-301 is a randomized double blind study of AA (1000 mg + P 5 mg po BID) vs placebo + P post-docetaxel. RESULTS TTPP, rPFS, and PSA response rate were higher with AA vs placebo. In Af Am pts, treatment emergent AEs (TEAEs) for AA vs placebo occurred in 96.4% vs 100.0% of pts (50.0% and 66.7%, respectively, grade 3/4); serious TEAEs occurred in 42.9% and 33.3% of pts (28.6% and 26.7%, respectively, grade 3/4). The safety profile of AA appears comparable between the Af Am and overall study populations. CONCLUSIONS Although the small number of Af Am pts in this study precludes formal conclusions regarding efficacy and safety of AA in this pt population, the overall trend suggests these pts experienced clinical benefit from AA with a safety profile comparable to the overall study population. These findings do not appear to support the hypothesis that AR signaling accounts for the increased lethality of prostate cancer seen in Af Ams. Further studies of AA in Af Am pts are planned to understand the potential benefit in this population. Additional efforts are needed to increase participation of Af Am pts in clinical trials. [Table: see text].