LONG-TERM TOXICITY OF COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY IN SUCCESSFULLY TREATED TESTICULAR CANCER

Of 55 patients with testicular cancer, treated by combination chemotherapy including cisplatin, 21 (mean age 35 [21-51] years) were re-examined for late sequelae of the chemotherapy 1-9 years later. No patient had a recurrence or second malignancy. They all had normal renal function (renal sequence scintigraphy; creatinine clearance). Seven of 20 patients had a polyneuropathy, nine of 18 had high-tone hearing loss. Two patients became fathers after treatment. In nine of 20 patients the serum concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone was raised to above 20 mU/ml, evidence of germ-cell damage. Six of 13 patients had an abnormal ejaculation following retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy or excision of a residual tumour. There was no evidence of any life-limiting toxicity of the chemotherapy.