Teratoma in primary testis tumor reduces complete response rates in the retroperitoneum after primary chemotherapy

BACKGROUND. Recent advances in the therapy of advanced testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) have resulted in increased attention to avoiding double therapy in cases where single modality therapy will suffice. METHODS. Over an 8-year period, 104 patients with Stage II and III testicular NSGCT received primary chemotherapy. Seventy-nine patients had retroperitoneal lymph nodal metastases, 33 of whom had a radiologic complete response, 43 a radiologic incomplete response, and 3 were not re-evaluated after induction chemotherapy. Thirty-nine patients underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND). The radiologic and pathologic response of the nodes to primary chemotherapy was correlated with tumor burden (lymph node metastasis size ≤2 cm, 2.1-5 cm, 5.1-10 cm, and > 10 cm), primary tumor pathology, and prechemotherapy marker levels. RESULTS. Larger initial lymph node size, metastases size, the presence of teratoma in the primary tumor, and prechemotherapy alpha-fetoprotein (a-FP) > 80 mg/L and beta-HCG (bHCG) > 10000 IU/L were found to correlate significantly with an incomplete radiologic response. Lymph node metastases size was the only independent prognostic factor on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Prechemotherapy α-FP > 80 mg/L and β-HCG > 10000 IU/L were associated with the presence of teratoma or carcinoma in the retroperitoneal nodes. The presence of teratoma in the primary tumor is associated with a higher incomplete response rate and residual teratoma in the retroperitoneal lymph nodes after primary chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS. Predictors of need for postchemotherapy RPLND include large lymph node metastasis size and presence of teratomatous elements in the primary tumor. To reduce the need for and morbidity of double therapy, patients with low volume clinical Stage II NSGCT and teratomatous elements in the primary tumor are arguably better served by primary RPLND.