[How will urology cope with the new health care system?]. / Wie findet sich die Urologie in einem zukünftigen Gesundheitswesen zurecht?

According to the report 2000 issued by the expert advisory committee on the health care system, improvement in performance requires, among other things, awareness of the need for more economic efficiency, better quality of medical care, and definition of targets. Disease prevention and early diagnosis are the main objectives of health policy and practice. Data mining becomes an important tool in epidemiological and clinical research. Urologists are called upon to engage in clinical studies to establish therapeutic standards and guidelines. Results of research must be put in to practice faster. Doctors ought to respond to changes in patients' attitudes.

Surgical treatment of stage-I non-seminomatous germ cell testis tumor. Final results of a prospective multicenter trial 1982-1987. Testicular Tumor Study Group.

Final results of a prospective multicenter trial are presented comparing modified (ipsilateral) and radical retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RLND) with regard to staging accuracy, curativity, and preserved ejaculation in stage-I non-seminomatous testis tumor. In 168 patients after modified and 67 patients after radical RLND, no differences were found in relapse rates (17 and 15%, respectively; median follow-up 30 months); in frequency of retroperitoneal relapse (2.4 and 1.5%, respectively), and intra-/postoperative complications (12 and 10%, respectively). Postoperative ejaculation was antegrade in 74 and 34%, (p less than 0.001), retrograde in 11 and 12% respectively. Normozoospermia was found in 50% of patients postoperatively vs. 20% preoperatively. Results are discussed in view of other alternatives. Modified RLND is considered an optimal approach to stage-I non-seminomatous germ cell testis tumor, outside specific trials.

Localization of solitary and multiple metastases in stage II nonseminomatous testis tumor as basis for a modified staging lymph node dissection in stage I.

Because of a continuing need for pathological staging of clinical stage I testicular tumors an investigation was performed to determine the primary sites of metastatic involvement of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes and to define narrowly limited ipsilateral areas of lymph node dissection strictly for the purpose of staging. Surgical/pathological localization of solitary metastases provides the most direct evidence of primary lymphatic spread. There were 214 consecutive patients with stage II disease (excluding bulky disease) evaluated with respect to localization relative to the side of the involved testis and the number of metastases up to 5 cm. Solitary metastases of 5 cm. or less were found in 74 patients, 53 patients had 5 or less lymph nodes of 2 cm. or less and 87 patients had more than 5 lymph nodes of between 2 and 5 cm. Solitary nodes of the right testis tumor were located with decreasing frequency in the upper and lower interaortocaval, lower paracaval and precaval, upper precaval and right common iliac, upper paracaval and upper preaortic zones. Primary deposits of the left testis tumor were seen predominantly in the upper para-aortic zone. Upper preaortic and lower para-aortic zones were involved infrequently, and other areas were affected only in rare cases. These data contradict the assumption of a testicular lymph center located at the openings of the testicular veins into the vena cava and left renal vein, respectively. Multiple metastases were spread over the entire retroperitoneum, except for the external iliac regions. Hilar/suprahilar metastases were seen infrequently. Ipsilateral areas are defined according to primary involvement. A modified retroperitoneal lymph node dissection within ipsilateral areas is proposed as a staging operation for clinical stage I disease and a radical retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is indicated for pathological stage II disease.

Modified RLND as a means to preserve ejaculation.

According to the results of this trial it is evident that radical RLND constitutes an overtreatment in NSGCTT pathological stage I. The modified RLND limiting the areas of dissection to recognized sentinel nodes combines accurate pathological staging with low morbidity and equal success in terms of postoperative relapse; it is superior to radical RLND in preserving ejaculatory ability. It will thus come to replace the radical approach and will compete favorably with expectant therapy for some time to come. Results of prospective and long-term investigations will help to define subsets of stage I patients for whom RLND may be unnecessary (DeWys et al. 1983; Oliver et al. 1984).

Therapy in stage I non-seminomatous testicular tumor. A critical review of current strategies.

Currently administered forms of treatment after orchiectomy of non-seminomatous testicular tumor include unilateral (modified) or bilateral (radical) retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RLND), adjuvant chemotherapy with or without RLND, radiotherapy, and a watch policy with close follow-up ('wait and see'). As diagnostic techniques and therapy concepts improve and new results become accessible, an up-to-date appraisal of these strategies in view of accuracy of staging procedures, of risk of progression, and of morbidity of treatment is being attempted. Our own results of modified and radical RLND are presented. 4 of 55 patients (9.5%) relapsed within 2 years after modified RLND. 1 of 26 patients (Urological Clinic, Bonn) and 13 of 106 patients (Bonn Register of Testicular Tumor) relapsed within 2 years after radical RLND. Relapse rates are 4 and 13.4%, respectively. Correlation between pT stage and rate of progression was found to be significant (95 cases; alpha = 0.01). From data published in the literature and our own data, we conclude that modified RLND with close follow-up is still preferable to other strategy, for reasons of exact staging, low morbidity, and curativity for all patients in clinical stage I. Expected results from current trials on a 'wait and see' approach for patients with low risk of progression may alter this conclusion. The therapeutic advantage of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with high risk of progression has yet to be demonstrated.

[Chemotherapy of malignant testicular tumors]. / Chemotherapie maligner Hodentumoren.

The role chemotherapy plays in the improvement of prognosis of malignant testicular germ cell tumors is discussed in the light of the development of chemotherapeutic conceptions and stage related strategies. The course of disease in 117 own patients being subjected to cytostatic treatment in 1978-1982 is analysed in detail. In 70% of the cases a complete remission was achieved. Partial remissions generally were of short duration. All toxic side effects are described, the vital threat of panmyelopathy with resulting septicaemia being emphasized. The therapeutic countermeasures are mentioned. Protocols of two prospective clinical trials attempting to answer some of the still open questions regarding chemotherapy are presented.