
"I now know how cancer can strike anyone whatever their situation or circumstance. I hope by taking part in a trial it will help others in my position in the future.”
This clinical trial looked into whether it was possible to give chemotherapy 2 weekly for germ cell cancers, instead of 3 weekly, as it is usually given. Germ cells are the cells that produce eggs in females and sperm in males. Male germ cell cancers usually develop in the testicles, but can be found in other parts of the body.
Doctors usually treat germ cell cancers with surgery if it is only in the testicle or chemotherapy if it is somewhere else in the body. They usually give a combination of chemotherapy called BEP, every 3 weeks. This is bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin.
BEP chemotherapy can cause a drop in blood cells made by the bone marrow. This can delay treatment. In this trial patients were given G-CSF after chemotherapy. G-CSF is a growth factor. It stimulates the bone marrow to produce blood cells and in other cancers has allowed a shorter interval between each chemotherapy treatment.
This was a pilot study. The aims were to find out
The trial team found that BEP (bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin) could be given every 2 weeks.
This trial recruited 16 people. Everyone was to have 4 cycles of treatment with BEP. Of these 16
After an average follow up of just under 4 ½ years, the cancer had come back in 3 people.
The side effects were the same as having BEP every 3 weeks, apart from a drop in blood cells and sore mouth which were worse.
The trial team concluded that giving BEP every 2 weeks should be looked at in a larger .
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists () and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Michael Williams
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network (NCRN)
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I now know how cancer can strike anyone whatever their situation or circumstance. I hope by taking part in a trial it will help others in my position in the future.”