TOXICITY IN PATIENTS WITH TESTICULAR SEMINOMA TREATED WITH RADIOTHERAPY - DIFFERENT DOSE LEVELS AND TREATMENT FIELDS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and late effects of ir radiation in 56 patients with stage I and II testicular seminomas. A r etrospective study of patients' records was performed paying attention to the acute and late toxicity of radiation in relation to treatment fields and radiation doses. Treatment groups were compared using the c hi(2)-test. Mild to moderate nausea and/or vomiting was seen in 66% of patients and occurred equally independent of the treatment volume or radiation dose. Increased bowel frequency was seen in 59% and was more common when a larger treatment volume was used. Skin reactions increa sed with increase in treatment volume and dose (p=0.046). Severe late complications were recorded in two patients (myocardial damage-1/4 at risk, duodenal ulcer-1/56 at risk). These could not be attributed sole ly to the irradiation as other contributing factors might play a role. Overall the data suggest that the risk of major posttreatment morbidi ty is minimal for patients with testicular seminoma treated with posto perative radiotherapy.