RESUMO
Significant improvement in survival of patients treated for testicular seminoma, particularly in early stages of disease, shows that combined treatment can cause both acute reactions and/or late adverse effects in some cases. These rare complications may have great impact on quality of life of long-term survivors. The aim of our investigation was to assess incidence and intensity of sequelae in a group of 113 patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy for testicular seminoma stage I and II over the period 1982-1988, as well as to determine possible risk-factors. The follow-up period was 24-84 months (Me = 68.4 m). Acute symptoms were noticed in 19.4% of patients, all of them being of a mild degree and no case required a delay of treatment. Long-term complications developed in 8.8% of patients. During the follow-up period two secondary cancers were detected and histologically proved. These results are acceptable and similar to other published data, and in relation to the good prognosis with combined treatment, it can be concluded that the infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy is the obliged part of management for testicular seminoma in early stages.
