Metastatic testicular germ cell tumour: The role of salvage surgery

To assess the clinical characteristics of metastatic testicular germ cell tumour, response to chemotherapy and outcome of salvage surgery for residual mass were analyzed. Patients with complete response were carefully watched. Salvage surgery was performed in 14 patients after chemotherapy. Resected specimens showed 7 necrosis/fibrosis, 5 teratoma, 1 cancer, and 1 benign schwannoma. Only necrosis/fibrosis was found in cases without teratoma in the primary tumour. Existence of teratomatous elements in a primary tumour suggests that cancer or teratoma is present in the residual tumour. Furthermore, tumour reduction rate could not predict their presence in resected specimens.