Lawrence H. Einhorn

My research has centered on clinical trials in medical oncology, especially testicular cancer. Our group of clinical researchers has found that by combining cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin the cure rate for metastatic testicular cancer increased from 5 percent to 80 percent. We have studied the two-drug combination of cisplatin and etoposide as second-line chemotherapy and have achieved a 25 percent cure rate. A subsequent phase III study has demonstrated that the substitution of VP-16 for vinblastine ameliorates the neuromuscular toxicity and simultaneously improves cure rates. Since then the three-drug combination of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin has remained standard chemotherapy for metastatic testicular cancer. Subsequent phase III studies have demonstrated that in good-risk patients, identical cure rate was obtained with just three courses (nine weeks) compared to four courses of chemotherapy. We have also addressed novel strategies for patients not curable with their initial chemotherapy, including high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow or peripheral blood stem-cell transplant and the introduction of new agents such as paclitaxel and gemcitabine.