[Cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (PVB) combination chemotherapy in the treatment of intracranial malignant germ cell tumors--a preliminary report of a phase II study--The Japanese Intracranial Germ Cell Tumor Study Group].

Cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (PVB) combination chemotherapy was undertaken in 30 patients with primary intracranial malignant germ cell tumors in 11 neurosurgical clinics. The response rate of 17 evaluable patients with nonrecurrent tumors was 64.7% (eight CR and three PR), and that in eight patients with recurrent tumors was 50% (two CR and two PR). The one-year and two-year survival rates were 76.2% and 67.7%, respectively, which are better than the treatment results by radiation therapy alone, i.e., 69.8% and 46.5%. These findings suggest that PVB therapy is effective for intracranial malignant germ cell tumors.