Interdisciplinary consensus on diagnosis and treatment of testicular germ cell tumors. Results of an update conference based on evidence-based medicine (EBM)

Background: An "Interdisciplinary Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Therapy of Testicular Tumors" was prepared in 1996 by the "Interdisciplinar y Testicular Tumor Working Group" (IAH) with input from representatives fro m diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines of various working groups of the G erman Cancer Society (Strahlenther Onkol 1997;173:397-406), In 1998 the IAH met again together with the "Testicular Tumor Working Party" of the Uroonc ology Working Group (AUO) and formed the "German Testicular Cancer Study Gr oup" (GTCSG). Defined and accepted interdisciplinary standards from the ini tial meeting were revised based on current scientific developments and clin ical results. This cooperating effort increased the quality of the initial recommendations and helped to put the recommendations for diagnosing and tr eating testicular tumor on a broader scientific basis. Methods: According to the principles of "evidence-based medicine" (EBM), th e Consensus from 1996 was modified, based on the current level of evidence from the published literature. The methodological process and evaluation cr iteria used were that of the "Cochrane Collaboration". Results: An "Interdisciplinary Update Consensus Statement" summarizes and d efines the diagnostic and therapeutic standards according to the current sc ientific practices in testicular cancer. For 21 separate areas scientifical ly based decision criteria are suggested. For treatment areas where more th an one option exist without a consensus being reached for a preferred strat egy, such as in seminoma in clinical Stage I or in non-seminoma Stages CS I or CS IIA/B, all acceptable alternative strategies with their respective a dvantages and disadvantages are presented. This "Interdisciplinary Update Consensus" was presented at the 24th Nationa l Congress of the German Cancer Society on March 21st and subsequently eval uated and approved by the various German scientific medical societies.