Effects of antineoplastic treatment of HIV-positive patients with testicular cancer

Among 101 patients with testicular cancer referred to the Department of Oncology ONB, Finsen Institute, four were proven HIV-positive before admission. Three of these patients were treated with cisplatin, 4-epi-podophyllotoxin (VP-16, Etoposide) and bleomycin. One patient with stage I of the testicular cancer was observed, after orchiectomy, without medical antineoplastic treatment. In the HIV-positive patients treated with cytotoxic drugs, leucopenia was seen after one (8%), fever after three (23%) and thrombocytopenia after two (15%) courses. Amongst patients not proven HIV-positive leucopenia, fever and thrombocytopenia were seen after 11 (9%), 21 (18%) and 27 (29%) courses. Two patients had stage II and two patients stage III of the HIV infection prior to treatment. The clinical stage of the disease did not change during the course of chemotherapy. We suggest that HIV-positive patients (stage II and III) with germ cell tumours should be treated with the same aggressive chemotherapy as given to other patients, not proven HIV-positive.