Abstract: PD53-01
Sources of Funding: none

Introduction

The management of testicular cancer requires a complex multimodal therapeutic approach. Despite the availability of regularly updated national and international guidelines on testicular cancer, treatment still differs between the institutions probably affecting the patients' outcome. Our study aims to investigate frequently occurring errors regarding the diagnosis and therapy of testicular cancer in consideration of the current EAU guidelines.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis including 129 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer that were referred to our department between 09/2015 and 10/2016. Patients' age, histology, clinical stage, IGCCCG risk classification, treatment (surveillance, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery) and follow-up were investigated and compared to the EAU guidelines' recommendations.

Results

Of the eligible 129 patients, 34 (26%) patients displayed a non-guideline concordant care. The most common error was undertreatment (47%), mostly due to missing chemotherapy cycles. Modified treatment and overtreatment occurred in 20% and 16% respectively, while inappropriate treatment (9%) and misdiagnosis (6%) were rarely seen (Table 1). In secondary treated patients, non-guideline concordant therapy was observed more frequently compared to those patients receiving primary therapy (59% vs. 41 %). Almost all patients (93%) receiving a non-guideline concordant therapy suffered a relapse in contrast to 67% of patients that were treated according to the EAU guidelines.

Conclusions

Non-adherence to the current EAU guidelines on testicular cancer appears to be a major problem in various testicular cancer treating institutions. In our study, the most frequent error was undertreatment, followed by modified treatment and overtreatment. Inappropriate therapy leads to a higher relapse rate and morbidity associated with a worse curative outcome.

Funding

none