Current medical management of patients with poor-risk metastatic germ-cell tumors.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite the high cure rate of germ-cell tumors (GCTs), the 5-year survival rate for those patients with metastatic poor-risk GCT rarely exceeds 50%. The purpose of this review is to highlight past and recent discoveries in the treatment of patients with poor-risk GCT.

RECENT FINDINGS: Multiple clinical trials to optimize the management of poor-risk germ-cell cancer are ongoing. First-line phase II clinical trials of dose-dense multidrug and paclitaxel-based regimens such as accelerated bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP), dose-dense chemotherapy and paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (TIP) reported promising results. Positive phase III data are still lacking.

SUMMARY: Four cycles of BEP or Etoposide (VP16), ifosfamide, cisplatin (VIP) continue to be the standard of care in patients with poor-risk GCT. A significant disparity in patient outcome exists between high-volume and low-volume centers. Referral for centers of excellence should be considered in the management of poor-risk GCT.