ASCO 2010 Highlights: Testicular Cancer

ContextGerm cell tumor is the most frequent malignant tumor type in young men, with a steep rise in incidence in recent years. The majority of patients with advanced disease will be cured, but there is a need to improve the outcome of poor-risk patients. For this patient category, and for patients who relapse following standard, first-line, cisplatin-based chemotherapy, the role of high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) is still a matter of debate. With cure rates > 90% in the whole group of testicular cancer patients, long-term morbidity has become increasingly important.ObjectiveHighlights of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2010 Annual Meeting pertinent to these key issues in the field of testicular cancer are discussed.ConclusionsThe role of HDCT as first-line treatment of stage I seminoma in poor-prognosis patients or in second-line therapy as salvage treatment has not been established. The clinical approach to stage I seminoma patients varies considerably between European countries, such as Scandinavian countries and Spain. Long-term testicular cancer survivors are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly after treatment with chemo- and radiotherapies.