Chemotherapy for good-risk germ-cell tumors.

Overview

Patients with good-risk germ-cell tumors have a high likelihood of cure with an approach that integrates cisplatin-based chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and observation. This article addresses risk group allocation as well as the controversies regarding the composition, number of cycles, and dosages of chemotherapy regimens used in this population. Recent data from randomized trials demonstrate that carboplatin is inferior to cisplatin and that the dose of etoposide should be 500 mg/m(2) per course. Bleomycin remains controversial in good-risk germ-cell tumors, but the literature suggests that both E(500)P for four cycles or BE(500)P for three cycles may be considered standard.