Safety of surveillance in the management of stage I anaplastic germ cell tumours of the testis

A study was made of 46 patients with anaplastic germ cell tumours of the testis with no evidence of disease elsewhere as judged by computed tomography (CT) of thorax and abdomen, ultrasound and tumour marker measurements. A repeat CT 3 months after the first and clinical examination with chest X-ray and tumour marker measurements ensured that the 30.7% of patients who relapsed were detected promptly enough for them all to enter complete remission. Lymphography as part of the staging did not reduce the relapse rate. There was no difference between this group and a comparable group who underwent radiotherapy to para-aortic lymph nodes.