Management of testicular seminoma. Our experience.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The authors report their experience in the management of seminomas. MATERIALS They examine 12 cases of seminoma among a series of 19 patients with testicular germ cell tumours observed at the Second Surgical Department of the Second University of Naples. RESULTS: Their results showed a better prognosis for patients in early stage of the disease who underwent surgery and adjuvant prophylactic radiotherapy; good survival rates for patients in advanced stages of the disease were achieved by the combined use of surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: The authors discuss risk factors, clinical and diagnostic features of seminomas, relating their prognosis with the combined use of both surgery and adjuvant therapies. They consider total orchiectomy, followed by prophylactic radiotherapy, the treatment of choice, especially in stages IA and IIA. They don't perform the routine retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, differently from American authors, who always achieve it to stage the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The authors stress the improvement in the prognosis of seminoma, which has actually reached the 98% of five-year survival rate, for stages I and II.