Ten-year survival and late sequelae in testicular cancer patients treated with cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin.

Abstract

This 10-year follow-up study of 91 patients with disseminated testicular nonseminomatous cancer, treated with cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin (PVB) induction chemotherapy and vinblastine plus bleomycin maintenance chemotherapy for a planned period of 2 years, shows a 63% cure rate. The predominant long-term sequelae are neurological and sexual dysfunction in 68% and 40% of patients, respectively. Two patients died of myocardial infarction. Sixteen percent of patients developed hypertension, 23% Raynaud's phenomenon, and 25% ototoxicity. Despite the long-term side effects, 90% of the patients who responded to a questionnaire are fully employed. This study shows that the maintenance chemotherapy has contributed to the incidence and/or degree of neurotoxicity, hypertension, and renal function disturbance.