Chemotherapy of metastatic testis cancer:Results in 154 patients

Of 154 patients given chemotherapy for metastatic testis cancer 24 were rendered free of disease. In 21 of those patients actinomycin D had been used alone or in combination with chlorambucil or chlorambucil plus methotrexate. Of the others, 2 had seminoma which disappeared with chlorambucil and in the third chorionic gonadotrophin disappeared with 6-mercaptopurine and 6-diazo-5-oxo-levonorleucine. Regressions of lesser degree were seen with the above agents and with actinomycin D in combination with other agents; and also with vincristine sulfate, mithramycin, vinblastine sulfate and nitrofurazone though such regressions were generally of no clinical significance. The author concludes that actinomycin D used alone is the most effective chemotherapeutic means of destroying metastases from embryonal carcinoma, teratocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma while chlorambucil is the best drug for metastatic seminoma.