Primary Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection Versus Chemotherapy in Good-Prognosis Metastatic Testicular Cancer to Assess Quality of Life

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the short- and long-term effects of treating men aged 18 and older with good-prognosis metastatic testicular cancer. The study compares two treatment approaches: primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for low-stage metastatic seminoma and three courses of chemotherapy. The main goal is to find out whether RPLND reduces the risk of side effects compared to chemotherapy while considering quality of life over two years and longer-term outcomes. The study includes two groups: one undergoing surgery with primary RPLND for seminoma stage IIA-IIB with limited lymph node involvement, and a control group receiving three doses of chemotherapy with Blemocin, Etoposide, and Platinum (BEP) for good-prognosis metastatic seminoma or nonseminoma. Treatments are delivered as scheduled, with the surgery performed either open or minimally invasive, and chemotherapy given systemically in three to four courses. Participants will be followed from baseline through multiple timepoints: 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after treatment start. Assessments include quality of life measured by EORTC QLQ-C30 with a testicular cancer supplement, fatigue levels, prevalence of retrograde ejaculation, doctor-reported treatment complications, quality-adjusted life years, and progression-free survival with follow-up up to 10 years. The study is population-based and conducted at several centers in Sweden and Norway, with data collected through questionnaires and medical evaluations.

Primary RPLND Versus Systemic Chemotherapy in Good-prognosis Metastatic Testicular Cancer