Resection of Residual Masses After Chemotherapy for Metastatic Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors in Adolescents and Adults. 2023

Timothy D Gilligan
Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, OH.

The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors' suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice.Optimal treatment of patients with testicular germ cell tumors requires a coordinated multidisciplinary approach, so that surgery, chemotherapy, and, when appropriate, radiation therapy can be integrated into a coherent and comprehensive treatment plan. Nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) are often a mixture of teratoma and cancer (choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, seminoma, and/or yolk sac tumor). While the cancers are highly sensitive to and often cured by chemotherapy, teratoma is resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy and generally must be resected surgically to be successfully treated. Therefore, the standard of care for metastatic NSGCT is to resect all resectable residual masses after chemotherapy. If such resection reveals only teratoma and/or necrosis/fibrosis, then patients are put on a surveillance schedule to monitor for relapse. If viable cancer is found and there are positive margins or 10% or more of any of the residual masses consists of viable cancer, then two cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009364 Neoplasm Recurrence, Local The local recurrence of a neoplasm following treatment. It arises from microscopic cells of the original neoplasm that have escaped therapeutic intervention and later become clinically visible at the original site. Local Neoplasm Recurrence,Local Neoplasm Recurrences,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrence,Neoplasm Recurrence, Locoregional,Neoplasm Recurrences, Local,Recurrence, Local Neoplasm,Recurrence, Locoregional Neoplasm,Recurrences, Local Neoplasm,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrences,Neoplasm Recurrences, Locoregional,Recurrences, Locoregional Neoplasm
D009373 Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal Neoplasms composed of primordial GERM CELLS of embryonic GONADS or of elements of the germ layers of the EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN. The concept does not refer to neoplasms located in the gonads or present in an embryo or FETUS. Germ Cell Cancer,Germ Cell Tumor,Neoplasms, Embryonal and Mixed,Cancer, Embryonal,Cancer, Embryonal and Mixed,Embryonal Neoplasms,Germ Cell Neoplasms,Germ Cell and Embryonal Neoplasms,Germ Cell and Embryonic Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Embryonal,Neoplasms, Germ Cell,Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonic,Cancer, Germ Cell,Cancers, Embryonal,Cancers, Germ Cell,Embryonal Cancer,Embryonal Cancers,Embryonal Neoplasm,Germ Cell Cancers,Germ Cell Tumors,Neoplasm, Embryonal,Tumor, Germ Cell,Tumors, Germ Cell
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D013724 Teratoma A true neoplasm composed of a number of different types of tissue, none of which is native to the area in which it occurs. It is composed of tissues that are derived from three germinal layers, the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. They are classified histologically as mature (benign) or immature (malignant). (From DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 3d ed, p1642) Dysembryoma,Teratoid Tumor,Teratoma, Cystic,Teratoma, Mature,Teratoma, Benign,Teratoma, Immature,Teratoma, Malignant,Benign Teratoma,Benign Teratomas,Dysembryomas,Immature Teratoma,Immature Teratomas,Malignant Teratoma,Malignant Teratomas,Teratoid Tumors,Teratomas,Teratomas, Benign,Teratomas, Immature,Teratomas, Malignant,Tumor, Teratoid,Tumors, Teratoid
D013736 Testicular Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the TESTIS. Germ cell tumors (GERMINOMA) of the testis constitute 95% of all testicular neoplasms. Cancer of Testis,Cancer of the Testes,Testicular Cancer,Testicular Neoplasm,Testicular Tumor,Testis Cancer,Cancer of the Testis,Neoplasms, Testicular,Neoplasms, Testis,Testicular Tumors,Testis Neoplasms,Tumor of Rete Testis,Cancer, Testicular,Cancer, Testis,Cancers, Testicular,Cancers, Testis,Neoplasm, Testicular,Neoplasm, Testis,Rete Testis Tumor,Rete Testis Tumors,Testicular Cancers,Testis Cancers,Testis Neoplasm,Testis Tumor, Rete,Testis Tumors, Rete,Tumor, Testicular,Tumors, Testicular

Related Publications

Timothy D Gilligan
January 1990, Progress in clinical and biological research,
Timothy D Gilligan
June 1996, Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!