Carboplatin AUC8 in combination with etoposide and bleomycin in the treatment of intermediate and poor-risk metastatic germ cell tumours: a phase II study

Purpose: Carboplatin has demonstrated significantly poorer response rates i n non-seminomatous germ cell tumours. a phase II study of higher than stand ard doses of carboplatin was conducted because of suspicion that the poorer response might have been due to suboptimal dosing. Patients and methods: A group of 19 patients with advanced germ cell tumours (International Germ C ell Cancer Collaborative Group intermediate and poor prognosis) were treate d with carboplatin at an AUC of 8 mg/ml min (using Calvert's formula) on da y 1, etoposide 120 mg/m(2) days 1-3 and bleomycin 60,000 U over 2 days (EBC a). Treatment was repeated every 3 weeks and a maximum of four courses was given. Results: Of the 19 patients, 7 (37%) achieved complete remission, of whom 6 (32%) remained long-term progression-free. Post-chemotherapy surger y and Further chemotherapy salvaged an additional 26%, leading to an overal l disease-free survival rate of 58%. No relationship between outcome and de gree of myelosuppression could be established. Conclusion: Dose-escalated c arboplatin in combination, although feasible, did not improve the results a nd led to poorer results than those expected with cisplatin-based therapy. There is no evidence that the patients relapsing following this were easier to salvage. Further investigation of this regimen cannot be recommended.