Testicular Neoplasms

Lymphedema of the extremities is common after lymph node surgery in treating several forms of cancer, e.g., breast cancer. However, very little is known of the occurrence of lymphedema of the lower extremities after urologic surgery with lymph node dissection. This project aims to describe the frequency and grade of lymphedema arising after urologic surgery, using the Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire (LymQOL), Delfin MoistureMeter D, and lower limb volume measurements.

The majority of testicular cancer patients can be cured with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Mortality has been reduced even more within the last 15 years due to the stringent application of standard chemotherapy followed by resection of residual disease. This is a positive development considering that testicular cancer usually affects young men. Active surveillance has become an acceptable and widely used strategy in stage I testicular cancer. Thus, it is important to follow these patients in a standardized way and to adhere to a rationale surveillance strategy. There is no international consensus regarding follow-up of testicular cancer patients. Stratification according to risks and patterns of relapse would allow to tailor follow-up schedules, aiming at early identification of relapse without causing unnecessary harm by using excessive radiation in these young long-term survivors. Follow-up procedures should not only aim at detecting relapse, but also long-term side effects from therapy, including hypogonadism, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and secondary malignancies. The Swiss Austrian German Testicular Cancer Cohort Study (SAG TCCS) will comprise consecutive newly diagnosed testicular cancer patients and is the first study to prospectively evaluate the initial indictor of relapse in testicular cancer patients, the frequency and pattern of relapse and document long-term toxicities of the treatment (cardiovascular, gonadal, hearing impairment, renal function and second malignancies) and psychosocial aspects. This cohort study will determine the relevance of each test performed routinely during follow-up. The collected data will have direct implications for the care of patients with testicular cancer and inform future adaptations of follow-up recommendations. The dataset will give information on baseline factors of testicular cancer patients patients, current treatment strategies in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, outcome and late sequelae.