Therapy and prognosis of testicular carcinomas in relation to TNM classification.

Eight-hundred and thirty-one patients with testicular carcinomas, either teratocarcinoma (405), embryonal carcinoma (406) or pure choriocarcinoma (20), treated mainly at our center from 1950 to 1976, were clinicopathologically staged according to the TNM Classification. The cancer was confined to the body of testis alone (T1 N0 M0) or extended to paratesticular structures (T2-4 N0 M0) in 37% of all patients. Para-aortic lymph nodes were found involved (N1-3) in 33% and juxtaregional lymph nodes (N4) in 9% of patients; distant metastases were detected initially in the lung alone (M1) and other distant organs (M2) in 21% of the patients. Postorchiectomy treatment was retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy with or without regional-juxtaregional irradiation and systemic chemotherapy in 470 patients; the other 361 patients received external irradiation and/or adjuvant chemotherapy. Survival determined at 5 years was 58% in teratocarcinoma cases, 41% in embryonal carcinoma cases and 0% in pure choriocarcinoma cases. Rates of 5-year survival according to the TNM staging were 81% for T1 N0 M0 tumors, 58% for T2-4 N0 M0 tumors, 44% for N1-3 M0 tumors, 33% for N4 M0 tumors and 10% for N0-4 M1 or 2 tumors. In patients who underwent lymphadenectomy with or without external irradiation, the 5-year survival rates with and without adjuvant chemotherapy, respectively, were 96% and 86% for T1 N0 M0 tumors, 100% and 60% for T2-4 N0 M0 tumors, 66% and 42% for N1-3 M0 tumors, 54% and 40% for N4 M0 tumors and 38% and 0% for N0-4 M1 tumors. In patients treated by external irradiation alone or following lymphadenectomy the rates of 5-year survival with versus without adjuvant chemotherapy were 100% versus 66% for T1-4 N0 M0 tumors, 44% versus 18% for N1-3 M0 tumors, 41% versus 22% for N4 M0 tumors and 3% versus 4% for N0-4 M1-2 tumors.

Testicular cancer in cryptorchids.

One-hundred thirty-seven patients with a history or clinical evidence of cryptorchidism and testicular germinal tumor were treated at our hospital from 1934 to 1976. Cryptorchidism was corrected ipsilaterally or contralaterally in 93 patients with intrascrotal testis cancer when they were from 2 to 42 years old, either spontaneously (24 patients), by orchiopexy (58 patients), or by hormonal therapy (11 patients). Forty-four cryptorchid patients (uncorrected cases) had either ipsilateral inguinal (24 patients), or abdominal (14 patients), or contralateral intrascrotal tumors (six patients). Tumor histologic types on orchiectomy were pure seminoma in 56 patients, embryonal carcinoma in 41, teratocarcinoma in 37, and pure choriocarcinoma in 3. The five-year survival rates were similar in the corrected (61%) and uncorrected (63%) cases, and they were higher in patients with pure seminoma (79%) than in patients with germinal carcinomas (50%). The majority (64 of 80) of five-year survivors received regional lymphatic irradiation in 41 patients with pure seminoma and/or systemic chemotherapy in 23 patients with other germinomas. Since the testicular tumors that developed despite correction of the cryptorchid state were predominantly (72%) germinal carcinomas, unilateral cryptorchidism, which usually is associated with testicular atrophy, should be treated by orchiectomy instead of orchiopexy to prevent ipsilateral carcinogenesis. Cryptorchid patients with testicles that descended late should be observed periodically, especially after the 20-year latent period, for early detection of cancer.

Radiation therapy before cystectomy in the management of patients with bladder cancer.

During the preceding two decades, 309 patients with bladder cancer were treated by irradiation before cystectomy at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A radical tumour dose averaging 6000 cGy (rad) in six weeks was given to 104 patients who underwent radical cystectomy +/- one year later for persistent or recurrent cancer. Pre-operative pelvic irradiation was planned in 205 patients who received either 4000 cGy in four weeks (119) or 2000 cGy in one week (86) and underwent radical cystectomy after +/- six weeks and two days, respectively. The determinate five-year survival rates (41-43%) were similar with the three irradiation regimes; mortality under five years was mainly due to cancer recurrence locally and/or distally. Incidence of recurrence with radiation-induced stage reduction (21%) was lower, especially within the pelvis, than with no stage reduction (51%). Treatment results with planned pre-operative irradiation, especially in high stage tumours, were more favourable with the shorter 2000 cGy regimen of high fractional doses than with the conventionally fractionated 4000 cGy regimen.

Bladder cancer in men and women treated by radiation therapy and/or radical cystectomy.

Four-hundred fifty-one patients with bladder cancer, 348 men and 103 women, were treated by radiation therapy and/or radical cystectomy during the last two decades at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Radical cystectomy alone was the treatment in 98 men and 39 women. Radical radiation therapy to an average tumor dose of 6,000 rad in six weeks was given to 79 men and 30 women +/- one year before salvage cystectomy was done for recurrent or persistent tumors. Planned preoperative irradiation was delivered to the true pelvis either 4,000 rad in four weeks in 95 men and 24 women or 2,000 rad in one week in 76 men and 10 women +/- six weeks and two days, respectively, before radical cystectomy. Over-all survival and recurrence results in both sexes were similar, 40 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women were alive at five years without recurrence, 45 per cent of men and 48 per cent of women died in five or more years with local and/or distant recurrences, and 21 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women died before five years from causes other than cancer recurrence. Higher five-year survival for high clinical stage B2 to D1 tumors was noted similarly in the irradiated men (30 per cent) and women (37 per cent) than in the cystectomy alone patients (19 per cent in men and 4 per cent in women). Similar survival rates (52 to 57 per cent) were observed in men and women with low clinical stage O to B1 tumors treated with or without irradiation.

Cryptorchidism and testicular cancer.

An analysis of 125 patients with a history or clinical evidence of cryptorchidism and testicular germinal tumor treated at our hospital from 1934 to 1975 is presented. Cryptorchidism was corrected ipsilaterally or contralaterally in 83 patients with intrascrotal testis cancer when they were from 4 to 42 years old, either spontaneously (21 patients), by orchiopexy (51 patients) or by hormonal therapy (11 patients). Forty-two cryptorchid patients (uncorrected cases) presented with either ipsilateral inguinal (24 patients), abdominal (14 patients) or contralateral intrascrotal tumors (4 patients). Tumor histologic types on orchiectomy were pure seminoma in 54 patients, embryonal carcinoma in 35, teratocarcinoma in 33 and pure choriocarcinoma in 3. The 5-year survival rates were 60 per cent for the corrected cases and 63 per cent for the uncorrected cases according to cryptorchid state, and they were 78 per cent in patients with pure seminoma and 48 per cent in patients with other germinomas according to histologic type. The majority (58 of 73) of 5-year survivors received regional lymphatic irradiation, in 39 patients with pure seminoma, and/or systemic chemotherapy, in 19 patients with germinal carcinomas, with or without regional lymphadenectomy.

Experience with interstitial implantation of iodine 125 in the treatment of prostatic carcinoma.

Between February 1970 and April 1977 300 patients with localized prostatic carcinoma were treated with I-125 implantation and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). 68% had clinical Stage B (T-1 and T-2) and 32% had Stage C (T-3) neoplasms. Pelvic lymph nodes were histologically positive in 38% of the patients. Five-year survival for all patients was 73%. Five-year survival for Stage B disease was 100% and Stage C 65%. Lymph node metastases implied a poor prognosis. While 92% of patients with negative nodes survived five years, only 46% of the patients with positive nodes did so. Supplemental external radiation to pelvic and periaortic region in 28 patients with positive nodes did not improve survival or disease free interval or reduce distal or local recurrence but rather increased the incidence of radiation morbidity. The complications and morbidity as a consequence of I-125 implantation are minimal. The ultimate role of I-125 implantation in the management of localized prostatic cancer is yet to be determined. The early experience with this technique, however, suggests that it may be as effective as alternative modalities for comparable stages in terms of patient survival and may prove superior in terms of the quality of survival.

A comparative study of two preoperative radiation regimens with cystectomy for bladder cancer.

This report surveys the results of two programs of preoperative irradiation with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer in 205 patients. Irradiating the true pelvis to 4000 rads in 4 weeks with radical cystectomy after 6 weeks was implemented in 119 patients (Group 1) from 1959 to 1965; 2000 rads given in 1 week to the true pelvis and radical cystectomy within the following week was implemented in 86 patients (Group 2) from 1966 to 1970. Determinate survival without evidence of recurrence at 5 years was 43% in Group 1 and 42% in Group 2. Mortality with recurrence of bladder cancer in 5 or more years was 44% in group 1 and 42% in group 2. Pelvic complications occurred in 13% of group 1 and 9% of group 2.

Radical cystectomy with or without prior irradiation in the treatment of bladder cancer.

This is a summary presentation on certain aspects of an experience with the use of radical cystectomy with or without prior irradiation in the treatment of selected patients with bladder cancer at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Cancer of the undescended or maldescended testis.

An analysis of 45 cryptorchids (by history or examination) with a testicular cancer treated at Memorial Hospital, between 1934 and 1973, is presented. Twenty-five patients had the cryptorchid state repaired at ages four to 27 years, either spontaneously or by orchiopexy or hormonal therapy. Ipsilateral (24) or contralateral (one) intrascrotal testis tumors developed four to 47 years later. Twenty cryptorchid patients presented with ipsilateral inguinal (eleven), abdominal (seven), or contralateral intrascrotal (two) tumors. There were 18 pure seminomas, 17 embryonal carcinomas, nine teratocarcinomas, and one reticulum cell sarcoma. Five year survival rates as estimated by the product-limit method were 60% for the unrepaired cases and 41% for the repaired cases. The survival seems to follow histologic type and anatomical stage, whether the testis is within the scrotum or not. Five year survival similarly estimated was 78% in the seminomas and 29% in the other tumors. Twelve of thirteen survivors (including nine with seminoma) received postoperative irradiation to the regional lymphatics and eleven were without recurrent tumor for periods ranging from six to 28 years.

Primary carcinoma of the ureter: a prognostic study.

Fourty-one patients with primary invasive carcinomas of the ureter were seen at Memorial Hospital from 1947 to 1972. Overall survuval patterns were similiar in 19 patients with and 22 patients without prior or concomitant urothelial cancers elsewhere in the urinary tract, with 5-year survival rates, as estimated by the product-limit methos, of41% for both groups. Prognosis was determined primarily by anatomical stage of ureteral cancer. In 11 Stage A (submucosal) patients, 7 Stage B (muscular), 12 Stage C (periureteric fat), and 9Stage D (extraureteral), the similarly estimated 5-year survival rates were 91%, 43%, 23%, and nil, respectively. None of Stage A cases had metastases for periods ranging from 5 to 11 years after surgery alone. Seventy-eight percent of patients with more advanced stages died within 3 years of treatment, withmetastases mainly in pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes.