Surgical techniques and outcomes for primary nonseminomatous germ cell tumors

Multimodality treatment of germ cell tumors of the mediastinum

Germ cell tumors originating in the anterior mediastinal compartment represent a rare but biologically interesting group of neoplasms. Knowledge of the specific biologic behaviors and therapeutic strategies for the three histologic types is important. PMNSGCT represent the most challenging group of malignant germ cell tumors and survival outcome is dependant on both successful chemotherapy and surgery to remove residual disease when feasible. The authors currently believe nonbleomycin-containing regimens will reduce operative risks in this regard. New chemotherapy strategies that reduce the incidence of persistent nonseminatous germ cell or non-germ cell cancer need continued investigation. Although overall survival is inferior to nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of testicular origin, favorable subsets with pathologic evidence of either necrosis or teratoma have been identified. An aggressive surgical approach after cisplatin-based chemotherapy can result in long-term survival, even in patients with persistent nonseminomatous germ cell or non-germ cell cancer, and is warranted in these otherwise young and healthy patients.

Tumors of the mediastinum

Tumors of the mediastinum represent a wide diversity of disease states. The location and composition of a mass is critical to narrowing the differential diagnosis. The most common causes of an anterior mediastinal mass include the following: thymoma; teratoma; thyroid disease; and lymphoma. Masses of the middle mediastinum are typically congenital cysts, including foregut and pericardial cysts, while those that arise in the posterior mediastinum are often neurogenic tumors. The clinical sequelae of mediastinal masses can range from being asymptomatic to producing symptoms of cough, chest pain, and dyspnea. This article will review the anatomy of the mediastinum as well as the different clinical, radiographic, and prognostic features, and therapeutic options of the most commonly encountered masses.

Short- and long-term outcomes after large pulmonary resection for germ cell tumors after bleomycin-combination chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Treatment of nonseminomatous germ cell tumors frequently requires bleomycin-combination chemotherapy followed by resection of residual disease. Bleomycin administration however raises concerns with respect to postoperative respiratory complications, particularly for patients undergoing large pulmonary resections. We undertook an institutional review to determine the outcome of large pulmonary resections after bleomycin-combination chemotherapy.

METHODS

Between 1981 and 2001, 530 patients presented to our institution for resection of residual intrathoracic disease for either metastatic testicular or primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. We subsequently reviewed 32 of these patients who required pneumonectomy (n = 19; RIGHT = 9, LEFT = 10) or bilobectomy (n = 13) after bleomycin-combination chemotherapy.

RESULTS

There were four operative deaths (13%). All postoperative deaths occurred in patients undergoing right-sided resections (pneumonectomy, n = 2; bilobectomy, n = 2) as a consequence of pulmonary complications. Operative survivors had a pulmonary morbidity of 18%. Fourteen of 20 long-term survivors were found to have a satisfactory performance status at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Otherwise young and healthy male nonseminomatous germ cell tumors patients requiring large pulmonary resections after bleomycin-combination chemotherapy appear to be at higher than anticipated risk for pulmonary-related morbidity and mortality. However long-term survivors report an acceptable functional status.

Anterior mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor with malignant transformation: a case report

OBJECTIVE

We report a case of a 21-year-old man who presented with the unusual symptoms of heart failure and was found to have an anterior mediastinal yolk sac tumor.

METHODS

A review of the literature using the Ovid search engine was performed.

RESULTS

The patient was treated with the current standard of neoadjuvant chemotherapy: bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) with marked reduction in tumor size, followed by en bloc surgical resection. The final pathology revealed teratoma with malignant change: chondrosarcoma, adenocarcinoma, and poorly differentiated sarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a rare initial presentation of an anterior mediastinal germ-cell tumor with treatment consisting of neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection. In addition, we present the adverse and extremely rare malignant degeneration of this tumor.

Outcome of patients with residual germ cell or non-germ cell malignancy after resection of primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell cancer

PURPOSE

To identify prognostic variables and outcomes in patients with primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (PMNSGCT) with postchemotherapy resection of persistent cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-seven consecutive patients with residual cancer after resection of PMNSGCT were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate comparisons were performed.

RESULTS

At diagnosis, 43 patients had elevated serum tumor markers (STMs), and 20 had extramediastinal disease. At resection, 21 patients had elevated STMs. After resection, 26 patients had germ cell tumors (GCT), 12 had malignant transformation of teratoma with elements of non-GCT, and nine had both GCT and non-GCT. Sixteen of 47 patients continuously have no evidence of disease (NED). This includes eight of 26 patients with GCT histology and two of 12 patients with non-GCT histology. Of 27 patients with mediastinal-only disease at presentation, 14 have continuously NED. Of 20 patients with extramediastinal disease at presentation, two have continuously NED. Seven of 21 patients with elevated STMs at time of resection have continuously NED. Sixteen patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, and seven have continuously NED. Overall, 16 of 47 patients have continuously NED, an additional four patients have NED with further therapy (currently NED), two patients are alive with disease, 23 patients died of disease, and two patients died postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

The presence of elevated STMs at resection does not appear to alter outcome if residual disease is completely resected. In this poor-risk patient population, surgical resection of persistent cancer, even in the presence of elevated STMs, can still achieve long-term survival.