Successful treatment of good-risk disseminated testicular cancer with cisplatin, bleomycin, and reduced-dose vinblastine

Cancer. 1986 Jun 1;57(11):2114-8. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19860601)57:11<2114::aid-cncr2820571104>3.0.co;2-6.

Abstract

Cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (PVB) is very effective therapy in disseminated testicular cancer, but toxicity is severe. A further reduction of vinblastine might reduce the acute toxicity of PVB without compromising the response rate in good-risk patients. Starting in March 1982, 42 consecutive patients with minimal or intermediate advanced disease (lymph node metastases less than 10 cm, lung nodules less than 5 cm) began a 0.2-mg/kg vinblastine PVB regimen, provided that serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were not greater than 1000 ng/ml and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) values were not greater than 50,000 mIU/ml. Only 9 patients (21.4%) had leukocyte counts less than 1000/mm3, 6 (14%) had infections, but none had documented sepsis. Gastrointestinal and neuromuscular toxicities were mild. Of the 42 patients, 41 (97.6%) entered complete remission (CR), 8 with surgery. After a median follow-up period of 26 months (range, 19-40 months), 35 patients (83.3%) are continuously disease-free. Of the 6 patients with AFP levels greater than 400 ng/ml and/or HCG values greater than 1000 mIU/ml, only 2 (33.3%) entered continuous CR, versus 33 (91.6%) of the 36 patients with normal or less elevated markers (P less than 0.01). PVB with a 0.2-mg/kg vinblastine dosage is very effective and well-tolerated therapy in selected good-risk patients with disseminated germinal testis cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / blood
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Testicular Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Vinblastine / administration & dosage
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • alpha-Fetoproteins
  • Bleomycin
  • Vinblastine
  • Cisplatin

Supplementary concepts

  • PVB protocol