Causes of death and mortality rates in a population-based cohort of testicular cancer patients

A population-based study in Norway found that treatment of testicular cancer (TC) with platinum-based chemotherapy (PBCT) or radiotherapy was associated with a significant excess risk of non-TC mortality. Increased risks emerged after more than two cisplatin-based chemotherapy cycles after longer than ten years of follow-up. The most important cause of non-TC death was second cancer (compared to the general population overall SMR 1.53; 95% CI 1.35-1.73; AER 7.94). Excess suicides appeared after PBCT (SMR 1.65; 95% CI 1.01-2.69; AER 1.39).