RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLATINUM-DNA ADDUCTS IN LEUKOCYTES OF PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED GERM-CELL CANCER AND SURVIVAL

Platinum-DNA adducts can be measured in peripheral blood leukocytes du ring platinum-based chemotherapy, and high adduct levels have been cor related with favorable clinical response in patients with germ cell ca ncer, Twenty-five patients with advanced germ cell cancer were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy regimens using the same dose and sch edule of cisplatin, Platinum-DNA adducts were measured by atomic absor ption spectrometry on the first and fifth days of the first cycle of c isplatin-based therapy, The patients were followed prospectively for 6 -35 months (median, 26 months). Twenty-two patients had adduct levels measured 24 h after the first dose of cisplatin. There was no differen ce in the mean adduct levels of those who were alive and without progr ession of disease compared to those who were dead or progressing (P = 0.65), Twenty-three patients had day 5 adduct levels measured, The mea n day 5 adduct level in the 15 patients who were alive and without pro gression was 62.133 fmol/mu g, compared to 153.50 fmol/mu g in the pat ients who were dead or progressing (two-sided P = 0.02), Contrary to p revious reports, these data indicate that high platinum-DNA adduct lev els do not correlate with favorable outcome in patients with advanced germ cell cancer.