Sandwich Therapy in Testis Tumor: Current Experience

Abstract

Sandwich therapy, a regimen of lymphadenectomy combined with preoperative and postoperative Co teletherapy, yielded a survival rate of 84% in 13 patients with stage A and B nonseminomatous testis tumor. This statistic is consistent with the previously reported survival rate of 83% achieved among 35 patients treated with this regimen from 1958-1970. Bone marrow depression, retroperitoneal fibrosis and possible induction of a 2nd malignancy were important side effects of radiation therapy. The superior survival rates with fewer severe side effects of treatment obtained by other investigators using lymphadenectomy alone or lymphadenectomy combined with chemotherapy prompted discontinuation of sandwich therapy as standard treatment for nonseminomatous testis tumors.