On thin ice: barriers to adoption of surveillance for patients with stage I testicular seminoma. Survey of US radiation oncologists

ABSTRACT Purpose: Most men with stage I testicular seminoma are cured with surgery alone, which is a preferred strategy per national guidelines. The current pattern of practice among US radiation oncologists (ROs) is unknown. Materials and Methods: We surveyed practicing US ROs via an online questionnaire. Respondent's characteristics, self-rated knowledge, perceived patient compliance rates with observation were analyzed for association with treatment recommendations. Results: We received 353 responses from ROs, of whom 23% considered themselves experts. A vast majority (84%) recommend observation as a default strategy, however this rate drops to 3% if the patient is believed to be noncompliant. 33% of respondents believe that survival is jeopardized in case of disease recurrence, and among these respondents only 5% support observation. 22% of respondents over-estimate the likelihood of noncompliance with observation to be in the 50-80% range. Responders with a higher perceived noncompliance rate are more likely to recommend adjuvant therapy (Fisher's exact p<0.01). Only 7% of respondents recommend observation for stage IS seminoma and 45% administer adjuvant RT in patients with elevated pre-orchiectomy alpha-fetal protein levels. Conclusions: Many US ROs over-estimate the likelihood that stage I testicular seminoma patients will be noncompliant with surveillance and incorrectly believe that overall survival is jeopardized if disease recurs on surveillance. Observation is quickly dismissed for patients who are not deemed to be compliant with observation, and is generally not accepted for patients with stage IS disease. There is clearly an opportunity for improved physician education on evidence-based management of stage I testicular seminoma.

Stage IIA and IIB testicular seminoma treated post-orchiectomy with radiation therapy versus other approaches: a population-based analysis of 241 patients

Objectives To evaluate post-orchiectomy utilization of radiation therapy (RT) versus other management approaches in stage IIA and IIB testicular seminoma patients. Materials and Methods Two hundred and forty-one patients with stage IIA and IIB testicular seminoma were identified between 1988 and 2003 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Results Median follow-up was 10 years. Patients with stage IIA disease underwent RT more frequently than those with stage IIB disease (72% vs. 46%, respectively; P<0.001). There was no significant change in RT utilization for stage IIA or IIB disease between 1988 and 2003 (P = 0.89). Conclusions Between 1988 and 2003, stage IIA patients underwent RT more often than stage IIB patients in the United States. There was no significant change in RT utilization for stage IIA or IIB disease during this time period. Based on reports describing excellent progression-free survival with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, this approach has increased in popularity since 2003 and may eventually become the most popular treatment approach for both stage IIA and IIB testicular seminoma. .

Adjuvant Radiotherapy Outcome of Stage I Testicular Seminoma: A Single Institution Study

PURPOSE: To analyze treatment outcome and side effects of adjuvant radiotherapy using radiotherapy fields and doses which have evolved over the last two decades in a single institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received radiotherapy after orchiectomy from 1996 to 2007. At our institution, the treatment field for stage I seminoma has changed from dog-leg (DL) field prior to 2003 to paraaortic (PA) field after 2003. Fifteen patients were treated with the classic fractionation scheme of 25.5 Gy at 1.5 Gy per fraction. Other patients had been treated with modified schedules of 25.05 Gy at 1.67 Gy per fraction (n=15) and 25.2 Gy at 1.8 Gy per fraction (n=11). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 112 months, the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 100% and 96%, respectively, and 5-year and 10-year relapse-free survival rates were both 97.1%. No in-field recurrence occurred. Contralateral seminoma occurred in one patient 5 years after treatment. No grade III-IV acute toxicity occurred. An increased rate of grade 1-2 acute hematologic toxicity was found in patients with longer overall treatment times due to 1.5 Gy per fraction. The rate of grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity was significantly higher with DL field than with PA field and also higher in the 1.8-Gy group than in the 1.5-Gy and 1.67-Gy groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with stage I seminoma were safely treated with PA-only radiotherapy with no pelvic failure. Optimal fractionation schedule needs to be explored further in order to minimize treatment-related toxicity.

Stage I seminoma: treatment outcomes in a low-income country

The aim of this report is to address treatment outcomes of patients with early-stage seminoma in a developing country with special reference to patients with history of surgical violation of the scrotum and the potential predictors of disease relapse. Seventy four patients with pure seminoma were treated at King Hussein Cancer Center [Amman, Jordan] between 2003 and 2010. All patients underwent orchiectomy. All but 3 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients who underwent surgical violation of the scrotum prior to referral were managed by further excision or irradiation of the scrotal scar. The follow-up ranged from 1 to 200 months [mean, 33 months]. At the time of follow-up; all but one patient remain alive. The 3-year relapse-free survival for the entire cohort was 95.9%. Three patients were burdened by relapse, all of whom received adjuvant irradiation following inguinal orchiectomy and initially harbored tumors larger than 4cm upon pathological examination. Median time to relapse was 14 months [range, 8-25 months]. None were associated with elevated tumor markers prior to detection of relapse. All but one patient were successfully salvaged by chemotherapy. Our results confirm the excellent prognosis for patients with early-stage seminoma treated by orchiectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in a developing country. Although all patients burdened by relapse demonstrated adverse pathological findings upon initial assessment, no consistent predictor of relapse was found. Scrotal scar re-excision or irradiation in patients with prior history of surgical violation of the scrotum is effective in preventing local failure

Radiotherapy for stage I seminoma of the testis.

Background : After orchiectomy in stage I seminoma the standard is adjuvant radiation therapy. We analyzed the patients retrospectively to evaluate the contributions of the treatment volume and dosage to treatment outcomes. Materials and Methods : Between January 1999 and December 2005, 91 stage I seminoma patients with a median age 36 (range;22-62) applied to our center, who were treated using anterior-posterior parallel opposed fields with linear accelerator or Co60 after orchiectomy. Twenty-five (27.5%) patients received irradiation to the paraaortic and ipsilateral pelvic nodes, and 66 (62.5%) patients only received to paraaortic nodes. Results : With a follow up time of median 57 months (range; 27-104), paraaortic nodes treated group had 4 relapses (6%) - 3 of them pelvic, one of them both pelvic and paraaortic. Both paraaortic and ipsilateral nodes irradiated patients had only one relapse (4%) (P = 0.726). While the 5 year overall survival (OS) is 98.8%, it is 100% in the dog-leg group and 98.4% in the paraaortic group (P = 0.548). Univariate analyses of OS and Disease Free Survival (DFS) showed that there is no statistically significant difference related to factors as age, histologic subgroup, tumor size, rete testis involvement, radiotherapy (RT) fields, dose ranges and the therapy device. Conclusion : Adjuvant RT approach is the preferred for non-compliant low risk patients as well as intermediate and high risk patient in stage I seminoma. 20 Gy/ 10 fractions/ 2 weeks RT is the adequate treatment.

Seminoma estadio I radioterapia adyuvante: resultados a 3 años / State I seminoma adjuvant radiation therapy: results of 3 years

Evaluar los resultados obtenidos con radioterapia adyuvante. Se analizaron 40 historias clínicas de pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer de testículo estadio I; todos recibieron radioterapia adyuvante entre abril de 1992 y mayo de 2004. El tipo histológico fue seminoma. El diagnóstico y la estadificación se efectuaron con ecografía testicular, determinación de marcadores tumorales, tomografía axial computada de abdomen y pelvis y radiografía de tórax. Los pacientes fueron tratados con unidad de cobalto 60 y acelerador lineal de 6 MV de fotones. Volúmenes: región ganglionar lumboaórtica y pelviana ipsilateral vs. lumboaórtica solamente. Dosis diaria: 1,8 Gy Dosis total: 30,6 Gy. El seguimiento se efectuó durante 3 años con radiografía de tórax y tomografía axial computada de abdomen y pelvis a los doce meses y luego un control clínico completo una vez por año. Se definió la tasa de recidiva en ganglios pelvianos ipsilaterales (0 por ciento vs. 6,25 por ciento), progresión a distancia (8,3 por ciento vs. 0 por ciento) y supervivencia global (100 por ciento vs. 100 por ciento) a tres años de seguimiento. Nuestro resultado es similar a lo publicado en la bibliografía internacional. Teniendo en cuenta el escaso número de pacientes, no se evidenció cambios en la supervivencia global en el agregado de radioterapia a ganglios pelvianos ipsilaterales. La radioterapia a ganglios lumbo-aórticos es el tratamiento habitual, siendo necesario optimizar la modalidad de la radioterapia con técnicas en tres dimensiones o intensidad modulada para disminuir la toxicidad a largo tiempo.

To evaluate the results obtained with adyuvant radiotherapy. We analyzed 40 clinic histories of testis cancer stage I diagnosed patients were studied. All of them received adyuvant radiotherapy between April 1992 and May 2004. The most common histological type was seminoma. The diagnosis and the staging were done through testicular ultrasound, serum tumor markers determination, abdomen and pelvis CT, and chest Rx films. The patients were treated with Cobalto 60 unit and linear accelerator of 6 Mev of photons. Volume: Para-aortic and paracaval lymph node region and ipsilateral illiac node region vs. para-aortic and paracaval lymph node region only. Daily dose: 1.8 Gy total doses 30.6 Gy. Followup was done during 3 years with chest Rx and abdomen and pelvis CT at 12 months, and a whole clinic check-up once a year. Recurrence rate in ipsilateral iliac nodes (0 % vs. 6.25 %) distance progression (8.3 % vs. 0%) and global survival (100 % vs. 100 %) in three years follow-up was established. Our results are similar to the ones published in world literature. Bearing in mind the scarce number of patients, changes in global survival were not shown when radiotherapy in ipsilateral illiac nodes was added. Radiation therapy in para-aortic and paracaval lympth nodes is the standard treatment, there is being necessary to optimize the radiotherapy modality with other radiation therapy techniques: In three dimension and modulated intensity to diminish the long term toxicity.

Stage I seminoma recurrences in patients admitted to radiotherapy clinic of Shohada hospital between 1991 and 2002

Currently, cancers are among the important and main problems of health system in Iran and around the world. In young men under 20 to 35 years of age, malignant masses of testis are the most common tumours. The main pathologic feature of these masses is germ cell tumour and about half of them are seminoma. Since seminoma is very prevalent in the forth decade, being affected with this tumour leads to losing many years of healthy life. In a cross sectional study, investigating 139 records of patients with testis tumour revealed 61 patients with stage-1 seminoma. Thirty three patients underwent para-aortic and unilateral pelvic irradiation [54%] while 28 patients only underwent para-aortic irradiation [46%]. The administered radiotherapy dosage varied between 25-40 Gy Mean age of the patients was 37.8 of whom the youngest was 15 and the oldest was 64 years of age. Only one recurrent patient was seen in this cohort who was in para-aortic group. There was no significant difference in recurrence rate between the two radiotherapy methods. [p= 0.7]. Considering fewer complications of para-aortic irradiation and the insignificant difference in the recurrence rate between the two methods of radiotherapy, para-aortic method could be more appropriate and acceptable in the treatment of testicular cancer

Le seminome primitif du mediastin [a propos d'un cas]

The authors report one case of 38 years old man presenting a primary mediastinal seminoma treated by exclusive radiotherapy [40Gy]. He has continued to be clinically disease-free 12 years after irradiation. Radiotherapy is now replaced by chemotherapy

Management consideration in nonpulmonary visceral metastatic seminoma of testis

To develop a more appropriate therapeutic strategy for treatment of nonpulmonary visceral metastatic testicular seminoma based on the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification, we reviewed the medical records of patients with nonpulmonary visceral metastatic testicular seminoma who were treated over a 20-year period. Only 15 (2.2%) of the 686 cases of testicular seminoma were nonpulmonary visceral metastatic seminoma. The median age of patients was 38 years (range, 22-53 years). Ten (67%) of the patients had an initial diagnosis of supradiaphragmatic or visceral metastatic disease. In addition to nonpulmonary visceral metastasis, all patients had lymph node metastasis as well, the majority of which involved the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. The median and mean progression-free survival durations after chemotherapy for advanced disease were 19 months and 63.7 months, respectively. Six patients (40%) survived, five relapsed after radiation therapy and four died of chemorefractory disease not dependent on the specific regimen. Although the number of cases reviewed in this study was small, we conclude that the choice of chemotherapeutic regimen among the current treatments for nonpulmonary visceral metastatic seminoma of testis primary does not present a different outcome. Therefore, multimodality therapies using new strategies or new agents are well indicated.

Seminoma estadio 1: ¿radioterapia u observación? / Seminoma stage 1: radiotherapy or observation?

La mayoría de los pacientes son seminoma estadio I son tratados con orquiectomía y radioterapia a los ganglios retroperitoneales. Esto se debe a que el seminoma es extraordinariamente sensible a la radioterapia y los resultados son excelentes, con una sobrevida libre de enfermedad de alrededor del 99 por ciento. Sin embargo, recientemente algunos oncólogos han propuesto tratar los enfermos solamente con orquiectomía y observación. Es fundamental para esta nueva modalidad de tratamiento que los enfermos que presenten progresión de la enfermedad puedan ser tratados oportunamente y adecuadamente con radioterapia o quimioterapia

Testicular seminoma: an experience from NCI, Cairo with a protocol for the treatment of stage I seminoma

This study was a retrospective analysis of 60 patients with pathologically documented testicular seminoma. The group comprised 21 patients with stage I disease, 17 stage IIa, 17 stage IIb and IIc and five stage III. Cryptorchidism was reported in nine patients and elevated beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin [BHCG] in six. All stage I and IIa patients were treated with radiotherapy alone and reported a five year relapse free actuarial survival rate [RFS] of 93%. Six of stage IIb and IIc patients received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, seven received radiotherapy alone and four received chemotherapy alone. The five-year RFS was 53%. Cryptorchidism did not adversely affect the survival of the patients. High level beta HCG was more commonly encountered in patients with an advanced disease 5/22 in stages IIb, IIc and III compared with 1/38 in stages I and IIa

Stage I and II seminoma of the testa, KFSH experience

The registry of the radiotherapy department of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center [KFSH] reported 60 patients of stages I and II seminoma of the testis. The age of the patients ranged 19-78 years with a median of 37 years. 40 patients presented in stage I and 20 in stage II. The 5-year actuarial disease free survival for stage I patients was 100% compared with 50% for stage II patients. Different prognostic parameters were studied including the treatment modality, elevated HCG level, cryptorchidism and the substage of the disease. All the studied prognostic factors did not seem to influence the survival rate except the treatment modality. Stage II group included one patient with stage IIa, 7 with stage IIb and 12 with stage IIc. There was no difference in survival between stage IIa + IIb and stage IIc. 10 patients in stage II were treated with radiation therapy alone and 10 received chemotherapy as well. The 5-year actuarial disease free survival for the radiation alone group was 21% compared with 100% for the chemoradiotherapy group