H. Asamura et al., MALIGNANT GERM-CELL TUMOR OF THE MEDIASTINUM - A MULTIMODALITY THERAPEUTIC APPROACH, SURGERY TODAY-THE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF SURGERY, 24(2), 1994, pp. 137-141
Twenty-five patients with a malignant germ cell tumor of the mediastin
um were treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo. Three p
atients had pure seminomas while 22 had a nonseminomatous histology. T
he treatment modalities consisted of surgery alone in 7 patients, surg
ery with chemotherapy and/or radiation in 14, and chemotherapy and/or
radiation without surgery in 4. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy was admin
istered in nine patients, one of whom successfully underwent high dose
chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation after resect
ion of the tumor. A complete response was achieved in only five patien
ts. The overall survival rate at 5 years was 33.5% and the median surv
ival time was 51 weeks. Eight patients (32%), all of whom underwent su
rgery either with or without chemotherapy and/or radiation, were free
of disease with a mean follow-up period of 439 weeks (72-1,120 weeks).
The median survival times for 14 patients undergoing combined modalit
y treatment, 7 patients undergoing surgery alone, and 4 patients under
going chemotherapy and/or radiation were 83, 16, and 18 weeks, respect
ively.