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Background and objective: There is an unmet need to avoid long-term morbidity associated with standard cytotoxic treatment for low-volume metastatic seminoma. Our aim was to assess the oncological efficacy and surgical safety of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) as treatment in a population-based cohort of metastatic seminoma patients with limited retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Methods: Sixty-two seminoma patients in Norway and Sweden were included in the cohort from 2019 to 2022. Patients with lymphadenopathy ≤3 cm, having primary clinical stage (CS) IIA/B or CS I with a relapse, were operated with uni- or bilateral template RPLND, open or robot assisted. The outcome measures included surgical complications as per Clavien-Dindo, and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates for 24-mo progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Key findings and limitations: In the cohort, 33 (53%) had CS I with a relapse during surveillance, six (10%) CS I with a relapse following adjuvant chemotherapy, and 23 (37%) initial CS IIA/B. Metastatic seminoma was verified in 58 patients (94%) with a median largest diameter of 18 mm (interquartile range [IQR] 13-24). Robot-assisted RPLND was performed in 40 patients (65%). Clavien-Dindo III complications were observed in three patients (5%); no grade ≥IV complications occurred. Eighteen patients (29%) received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. The median follow-up was 23 mo (IQR 16-30), and recurrence occurred in six patients (10%) after a median of 8 mo (IQR 4-14). PFS was 90% (95% confidence interval: 0.86-1) and OS was 100% at 24 mo. Conclusions and clinical implications: RPLND as primary treatment is an option for selected low-stage seminomas with a limited burden of disease, showing low complications and low relapse rates, with the potential to reduce long-term morbidity. Patient summary: In seminoma patients with limited metastatic spread, surgery is a treatment option offering an alternative to chemotherapy or radiation. This paper covers the first 62 patients operated in Norway and Sweden.
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OBJECTIVES: To assess whether extended surveillance with repeated computed tomography (CT) scans for patients with clinical stage IIA (CS IIA; <2 cm abdominal node involvement) and negative markers (Mk-) non-seminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCTs) can identify those with true CS I. To assess the rate of benign lymph nodes, teratoma, and viable cancer in retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) histopathology for patients with CS IIA Mk- NSGCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational prospective population-based study of patients diagnosed 2008-2019 with CS IIA Mk- NSGCT in the Swedish and Norwegian Testicular Cancer Group (SWENOTECA) registry. Patients were managed with surveillance, with CT scans, and tumour markers every sixth week for a maximum of 18 weeks. Patients with radiological regression were treated as CS I, if progression with chemotherapy, and remaining CS IIA Mk- disease with RPLND. The end-point was the number and percentage of patients down-staged to CS I on surveillance and rate of RPLND histopathology presented as benign, teratoma, or viable cancer. RESULTS: Overall, 126 patients with CS IIA Mk- NSGCT were included but 41 received therapy upfront. After surveillance for a median (range) of 6 (6-18) weeks, 23/85 (27%) patients were in true CS I and four (5%) progressed. Of the remaining 58 patients with lasting CS IIA Mk- NSGCT, 16 received chemotherapy and 42 underwent RPLND. The RPLND histopathology revealed benign lymph nodes in 11 (26%), teratoma in two (6%), and viable cancer in 29 (70%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance with repeated CT scans can identify patients in true CS I, thus avoiding overtreatment. The RPLND histopathology in patients with CS IIA Mk- NSGCT had a high rate of cancer and a low rate of teratoma.
