[Treatment of stage I-IIB nonseminomatous testicular tumors].

Data on 90 patients (median age 26 years, range 15-65) with nonseminomatous testicular tumour (NTT) were analysed retrospectively to evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy: 55 patients had received postoperatively (semicastration, retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy) adjuvant chemotherapy. They have now lived tumour-free for a median period of 67 (range 8-107) months. These results were compared with a group of 35 patients with recurrence of NTT who, after the primary operation, had been merely followed-up but, on diagnosis of recurrence, had received intensive chemotherapy with removal of the recurring tumour, if indicated. Nonetheless, only 24 of these 35 patients (69%) went into a lasting remission. A favourable factor was regular follow-up examinations with early diagnosis of any recurrence. Thus in a quarter of the patients a possible curative chance was missed despite an initially low tumour stage. The results suggest that omission of operative or chemotherapeutic measures is justified only if careful followup is assured.