Treatment at an Inexperienced Center Suggests Worse Prognosis of Metastatic Germ Cell Tumors

Abstract

Background/Aim: We evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients with metastatic germ cell tumors (GCT) treated at our hospital, which belongs to a regional cancer center. Patients and Methods: Data pertaining to patients with metastatic GCT were obtained between April 2007-October 2017 and was retrospectively analyzed. Key outcome measures included objective response rates and survival rates.Results: All 42 patients received chemotherapy [complete response: eight (19.0%); partial response: 21 (50.0%); stable disease (SD): nine (21.4%); progressive disease: four patients (9.5%)]. Post-chemotherapeutic surgery was performed for seven out of 21 cases of partial response and two out of nine of stable disease. The 5-year survival rates of patients with good, intermediate and poor prognosis (International Germ Cell Consensus Classification) were 100%, 100%, and 71.4%, respectively. Patients who received induction chemotherapy at other hospitals had significantly poorer prognosis than those at our hospital (p=0.0043). Conclusion: Patients with metastatic GCT should preferably receive chemotherapy at an experienced institution.