Input Appreciated

[Scott]

To be prepared for your appointment, be sure to read the TCRC's list of questions for the doctor and about the orchiectomy, which is very likely going to be necessary next week.

[dt22207]

Thanks. I appreciate it. I'll read it over the weekend. So much to do and so little time.

[Karen]

The site Scott directed you to is excellent. Read all you can. Focus on the I/O first but then read up on non-seminoma, RPLND and chemo in case you need that route. Knowledge is power. TC is highly treatable with high cure/survival. Glad you found this site...we'll help you through and celebrate your future "all clears"!

[dadmo]

Good Luck today dt.

[dt22207]

I've been off line a few days, but wanted to say thanks again for the help and encouragement.

The left testicle is gone. The doctor explained that there really was no sensible alternative. It took two days to get it done because he wanted to do a CT scan and more blood tests. He told me he wanted to look at the results of a CT scan before doing the surgery. I think this was in case he found other tumors, which he may have recommended taking out at the same time. (At least that's what I think he said.)

In any case, the CT scan showed nothing, which he said was very good news and possibly a little surprising given the lab results.

We meet next week to discuss the biopsy of what they took out and decide further treatment. He has said he expects to refer me to a cancer doctor now who may recommend chemotherapy.

Anyhow, thanks again to everyone for sharing your experience and knowledge in this area. Hope you have a great weekend.

Dan

[Scott]

I'm glad the orchiectomy is done, and the clear CT scan is great news! Are you recovering well, I hope?

The next thing should be follow-up blood tests to be sure your AFP and hCG levels return to normal, since if they continue to rise, chemotherapy will be necessary. Most likely, your hCG is already back to normal and your AFP will be within the month.

Be sure to get a copy of the pathology report when it's available.

Your oncologist should cover all the possible treatment options with you: surveillance, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), and chemotherapy. (Given your elevated AFP, radiation therapy isn't applicable; that's only a treatment for pure seminoma.)

Good luck with everything, and keep us posted.

[Already Bald]

Way to go Dan on getting the IO done quickly. Just remember that this is a highly treatable disease.
Might be sensible to speak with more than one cancer center, try to find one with an expert in TC.
Now you know your mission!
Best of luck.
Joe

[Fed]

In any case, the CT scan showed nothing, which he said was very good news and possibly a little surprising given the lab results.
Dan

This is great! Make sure that while you're getting a copy of the post-I/O path report, you also get a copy of your films (you can get them on CD nowadays) so that you have a baseline scan. Sounds like you are in great shape. Best of luck,

[Rune]

Good news on the CT scan! Hope you're feeling well after the I/O.

You might want to post the pathology report, once you get it, to TC-NET to let Douglas Bank or Mark Kantrowitz interpret the findings.. it certainly helped me back when I got a copy of my path report.