Complicated postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) in advanced testicular germ cell tumours: Is it worth the efforts?
382 Background: PC-RPLND is performed in patients with residual masses following chemotherapy for advanced testicular cancer. Complicated PC-RPLND is defined by redo, salvage or desperation procedures including the necessity to resect major adjacent vascular, skeletal or intestinal structures. We report on our single centre experience of complicated (group A) versus uncomplicated PC-RPLND (group B). Methods: A total of 138 patients underwent PC-RPLND and 24 (14.8%) patients underwent complicated RPLND: resection of major retroperitoneal vessels n=15 (9.3%), skeletal and pancreaticoduodenal structures in 5 (3.1%) and 4 (2.5%) patients, respectively. We performed a retrospective analysis of treatment-associated complications (Clavien-Dindo classification). Progression-free, cancer-specific and overall survival was calculated. Results: There were significant differences between group A and B concerning tumour diameter (5.9 vs 18.6cm, p = 0.03), intermediate/poor IGCCCG risk (39.9% vs 83.4%, p=0.02), seminomatous primary (7.9% vs 20.8%, p=0.03). Pathohistology of the residual masses was significantly different between group A and B: vital cancer was identified in 6 (4.3%) and 8/24 (33.3%, p=0.02) pts, resp., whereas teratoma was identified in 37 (26.8%) and 14/24 (58.3%, p=0.01), resp. In addition 3 pts in group B demonstrated malignant somatic transformation. After a median follow-up of 32 months for group B, 3 patients with MTS experienced recurrences, 1 patient died of the disease. The remainder survived event-free. In group A, median follow-up was 37 months and DOD was observed in 2 pts, 8 pts (5.8%) experienced recurrences. Frequency of complications grade I-IIIb did not differ significantly between group A and B with vascular or skeletal surgery (6.2 vs 13.3%), however, it increased significantly to 65% in pancreatic surgery (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Few patients with advanced NS need complex surgery in an interdisciplinary setting with good functional and oncological outcome. Despite an increased risk of short-term complications complicated PC-RPLND results in long-term survival > 90% and it is justified if performed at specialized centres.