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Seventy-four patients previously treated in our department for germ cell tumour of the testis underwent a series of tests to determine the frequency of long-term therapeutic complications. All had received cisplatin-based chemotherapy as part of their treatment. There was a significant deterioration in renal function throughout the group. Eighteen (24%) had supine blood pressure greater than systolic 140 mmHg or diastolic 90 mmHg after treatment but hypertension did not correlate with renal impairment. Raynaud's phenomenon was common after chemotherapy (26/74) as was persistent sensory neuropathy (23/74). Although 34% had testosterone levels below the normal range, only six patients had a low free testosterone index with one testis still in situ; 18 patients have fathered children after chemotherapy. Approximately half of the patients completed a psychosexual questionnaire and some 30% of them admitted to sexual problems which they attributed to their treatment. Long-term sequelae of cisplatin-based chemotherapy for testicular malignancy are frequent and persistent, and follow-up of these patients should include prospective measurement of changes in blood pressure.

Original publication

DOI

10.1038/bjc.1990.350

Type

Journal article

Journal

Br J Cancer

Publication Date

10/1990

Volume

62

Pages

655 - 659

Keywords

Adolescent, Adult, Antineoplastic Agents, Follow-Up Studies, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Hearing Disorders, Humans, Hypertension, Kidney, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases, Raynaud Disease, Sexual Behavior, Testicular Neoplasms