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. 1994 Dec;70(6):1156–1160. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1994.464

How safe is surveillance in patients with histologically low-risk non-seminomatous testicular cancer in a geographically extended country with limited computerised tomographic resources?

S D Fosså 1, A B Jacobsen 1, N Aass 1, A Heilo 1, A E Stenwig 1, O Kummen 1, N B Johannessen 1, G Waaler 1, P Ogreid 1, L Borge 1, et al.
PMCID: PMC2033670  PMID: 7981068

Abstract

In patients with clinical stage I non-seminomatous testicular cancer only limited information is available about the administrative problems with the surveillance programme, in particular if this policy is to be implemented in a geographically extended country with limited computerised tomography (CT) resources. One hundred and two patients with non-seminomatous testicular cancer clinical stage I and low-risk histology (MRC criteria, UK) were followed by the surveillance policy for at least 1 year after orchiectomy (median 47 months, range 21-81 months). Twenty-two patients (22%) relapsed after a median time of 5 months (range 2-18 months), 14 of them in the retroperitoneal space. Serum alpha-fetoprotein and/or human chorionic gonadotrophin were elevated in eight of the 22 relapsing patients. The progression-free and cancer-corrected survival rates were 78% and 99% respectively. Patient non-compliance did not represent a major problem, whereas the regular and adequate performance of necessary CT examinations yielded some administrative difficulties. One and 3 years after orchiectomy about 50% of the relapse-free patients had no psychological problems and were satisfied with the surveillance programme, whereas 46% reported minor and 4% major psychological distress. Despite non-negligible administrative difficulties in geographically extended countries, surveillance is feasible and safe in compliant patients with low-risk non-seminomatous testicular cancer stage I. The responsible cancer centre and the local hospitals should establish a high degree of cooperation and enable adequate follow-up examinations in these patients.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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