Aggressive multimodal therapy may prolong disease-free survival in recurrent primary retroperitoneal embryonal carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Primary retroperitoneal extragonadal tumours relapsing after initial chemotherapy have a poor prognosis. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: We report a case of primary retroperitoneal embryonal carcinoma in a patient with negative open testes biopsy. After the first line of chemotherapy (4 cycles BEP) secondary surgery with extirpation of a retroperitoneal residual mass was performed. The residuum proved histologically to be a mature teratoma, and no adjuvant treatment was given according to current recommendations. The patient had regular follow-up. 3.5 years later, patient developed recurrence in the ipsilateral adrenal gland, which was treated with surgery and 4 cycles of salvage VeIP chemotherapy. Seven months after the second surgical intervention the patient underwent multivisceral "desperation surgery" for early metastatic disease progression followed by 2 cycles of salvage TIP chemotherapy. The patient is currently disease-free at 34 months. CONCLUSION: Initial postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is crucial for local retroperitoneal disease control. Aggressively treated metastatic recurrent disease does not preclude prolonged survival. Despite a generally poor prognosis, repeated complex oncosurgical therapy for retroperitoneal extragonadal tumours may be worthwhile.

Three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy versus the combination of external radiotherapy with high-dose rate brachytherapy in localized carcinoma of the prostate: comparison of acute toxicity.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy represents one of the basic therapeutic methods in treatment of localized carcinoma of the prostate. Optimal irradiation dose is the cornerstone of a successful treatment. Along with local control of the disease and overall survival of the patient, possible acute and long-term side effects need to be monitored very closely. METHODS: A non-randomized prospective study comparing the acute genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity in patients irradiated for localized carcinoma of the prostate. Fifty-seven patients were treated with three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy alone, and in the second treatment arm a combination of external beam radiotherapy and high-dose rate brachytherapy was employed in 40 patients. RESULTS: Three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy. Acute G1 genitourinary toxicity was recorded in 35.1% of patients, G2 in 22.8%, and G2-3 in one patient (1.7%). Acute gastrointestinal toxicity was experienced by 54.4% of patients, G1 in 28.1%, G2 in 17.5%, and G3 in 8.8%. Three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy + brachytherapy. Acute G1 genitourinary toxicity was recorded in 37.5% and grade 2 in 15% of the patients. Only G1 acute gastrointestinal toxicity was recorded in 40% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Acute G1 genitourinary toxicity was experienced by a similar percentage of patients in both treatment arms. Acute G2 genitourinary toxicity was more frequent in the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy arm. Higher acute genitourinary toxicity, G3 or G4, was recorded only in one patient per treatment arm. Acute gastrointestinal toxicity was more frequent in the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy arm. Higher acute gastrointestinal toxicity, G2 and G3, was only observed in the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy arm. The acute toxicity observed was of a low grade. The combination of external beam radiotherapy with brachytherapy resulted in a lower incidence of gastrointestinal toxicity than external beam radiotherapy alone.