Postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is important for rendering patients with testicular cancer disease-free and providing a potential for cure, a new study published online ahead of print in the journal Cancer has shown.1
For the study, researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine and Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis, IN, sought to evaluate survival outcomes in patients with testicular cancer receiving PC-RPLND after HDCT and stem cell transplantation.
Researchers analyzed data from 92 patients prospectively included in the Indiana University testicular cancer database. Of those, 26% had necrosis, 34% had teratoma, and 38% had cancer in the retroperitoneum at the time of PC-RPLND.
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Results showed that during a median follow-up of 80.6 months, 30% of patients had died. The 5-year overall survival was 70% for the entire population. Researchers found that the most significant predictor of mortality was PC-RPLND performed in the desperation setting with elevated markers present.
The findings suggest that PC-RPLND is important for eliminating cancer that has spread to the retroperitoneum.
Reference
- Cary C, Pedrosa JA, Jacob J, et al. Outcomes of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection following high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation [published online ahead of print September 15, 2015]. Cancer. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29678.
