Combination of Paclitaxel, Ifosfamide, and Cisplatin Is an Effective Second-Line Therapy for Patients With Relapsed Testicular Germ Cell Tumors

TLDR

The study assessed the efficacy of a second‑line TIP regimen (paclitaxel, ifosfamide, cisplatin) in patients with relapsed testicular germ‑cell tumors. Forty‑six patients with progressive metastatic GCTs who had a testis primary and prior complete response to first‑line therapy received four cycles of TIP as salvage treatment. Thirty‑two patients (70%) achieved a complete response, 29 remained disease‑free at a median 69‑month follow‑up, yielding a 63% durable CR rate and a 65% 2‑year progression‑free survival, underscoring the role of prognostic‑factor‑based patient selection.

Abstract

The efficacy of paclitaxel was evaluated in combination with ifosfamide and cisplatin as second-line chemotherapy for patients with relapsed testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs).Forty-six patients with progressive metastatic GCTs were treated with paclitaxel and ifosfamide plus cisplatin (TIP) as second-line therapy. Eligibility required that patients have both a testis primary tumor site and a prior complete response (CR) to a first-line chemotherapy program, which had been identified previously as favorable prognostic factors to conventional-dose salvage chemotherapy.Thirty-two (70%) of 46 patients achieved a CR to treatment. Three patients (7%) who achieved a CR relapsed after TIP chemotherapy. Twenty-nine patients are continuously disease free at a median follow-up time of 69 months, resulting in a 63% durable CR rate and a 2-year progression-free survival rate of 65% (95% CI, 51% to 79%).Four cycles of TIP as second-line therapy achieved a durable CR rate in a high proportion of patients with relapsed testicular GCT. The high CR rate emphasizes the importance of patient selection according to prognostic factors to achieve a favorable outcome to conventional-dose salvage therapy.