Surveillance Alone for Patients with Clinical Stage I Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors of the Testis: Preliminary Results

A total of 31 men with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis was followed for 2 to 18 months (median 10 months) after inguinal orchiectomy. Of the patients 26 (84 per cent) have been continuously free of disease. Relapse occurred in 5 patients (16 per cent) at 2, 2, 4, 4 and 6 months, respectively, but they were rendered free of disease with combination chemotherapy. The results suggest that careful surveillance following orchiectomy is all that is required for patients who have nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors but no obvious regional or visceral metastases.