Successful chemotherapy for childhood metastatic embryonal cell carcinoma of the testicle: A preliminary report

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Abstract
A child with widespread metastases successfully treated with chemotherapy alone is described. One course of combination chemotherapy using cis-platinum, vinblastine, and bleomycin produced disappearance of multiple pulmonary metastatic lesions. Four courses of therapy produced shrinkage and tumor sterilization of an abdominal mass. Twenty-six months after initiation of chemotherapy the patient is well, off of all therapy for fourteen months, and free of disease or drug related complication with normal creatinine clearance and alpha-fetoprotein determinations. The published adult experience demonstrates that this therapy is extremely effective for the treatment of metastatic embryonal cell carcinoma of the testis in young adults, and our case report extends this favorable experience into childhood. Toxicity is substantial, but justifiable considering the poor outlook associated with widespread metastatic disease. Collectively, the reviewed data suggest that further trials of this type of therapy are indicated in children.