Introduction

[Pete]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here, and thought I would introduce myself and give you my story. It's still in progress, but I'm hoping we're close to the end
My name is Pete, I'm 37. Several months ago I noticed a small pea sized lump on my left testicle, I thought it was odd, but didn't give it much more than that. I did keep an eye on it, in doing so, about a month later, there was another right next to it. I started thinking about going to the doctor. Then, the following month, the two lumps joined into one and got quite large, and started to ache in the groin area, left side. Needless to say, I went right to the Urologist. Within a few days, I found myself in the hospital having my left testicle removed,and having to face the possibility I may have cancer. Scared the pants off of me!
The surgery went as planned, done 4/13/07, we got the labs back a couple of days ago and the tumor is pure Seminoma. No one has said what stage yet, I didn't know I was supposed to ask untill I started reading on the Net. I get really nervous when I talk to the doctors and forget to ask questions. I have another appt. with the Urologist, then off to ct scan and x-rays, they said my blood work was normal and not to worry. Easy for them to say.
I'm not so worried about losing the testicle, look at Lance Armstrong, he's like the six million dollar man now, better , stronger , faster....lol...
I guess I'm really worried about the future, should I expect more treatment? If reccomended, is observation really an effective thing to do? It seems like just waiting to see if it turns up again isn't very Pro-active, you know?
I've quit smoking about a year ago. However, I know it's going to take a while for my body to fix that mistake.
Have any of you guys changed your diet?
I'm a nervous wreck right now and I feel like my life has just been put on hold, waiting,until i can put this all behind me, but from reading here, it looks as if even observation is a lifelong thing and that scares the crap out of me.

Thanks for reading and listening fellas, any input you have will be highly valued!!!
Pete

[Scott]

Hey, Pete, welcome to the family! Did you get a copy of your pathology report? It will have more information that will be useful when making treatment decisions, such as the size of the tumor and whether there was vascular or lymphatic invasion. You also need chest x-ray/CT scan results to know whether there is any sign that the cancer has spread or if it was confined to the testicle.

Since 80% of men with stage I seminoma are cured by the orchiectomy alone, surveillance can be a very good choice. Adjuvant radiation therapy and single agent carboplatin are other options. (Radiation is mainstream; carboplatin is not.) The NCCN guidelines are a great reference.

If there is any spread beyond the testicle, then radiation therapy or chemotherapy is a given.

Hang in there. You're going to come through fine. Congratulations on having quit smoking, and take advantage of the wake-up call to eat healthy and exercise. You might as well get some benefit out of losing a testicle!

[Already Bald]

Hi Pete,
You are going to be ok.
Like Scott wrote, you are likely a canidate for Radiation.
Also, I think it is always a good idea to get a second opinion at a center of execellence when dealing with cancer.
If you want children in the future, you may want to consider sperm banking.
I always forget my questions for my doctor as well, I think that is typical.
Best of luck,

[Pete]

Hey, Pete, welcome to the family! Did you get a copy of your pathology report? It will have more information that will be useful when making treatment decisions, such as the size of the tumor and whether there was vascular or lymphatic invasion. You also need chest x-ray/CT scan results to know whether there is any sign that the cancer has spread or if it was confined to the testicle.

Since 80% of men with stage I seminoma are cured by the orchiectomy alone, surveillance can be a very good choice. Adjuvant radiation therapy and single agent carboplatin are other options. (Radiation is mainstream; carboplatin is not.) The NCCN guidelines are a great reference.

If there is any spread beyond the testicle, then radiation therapy or chemotherapy is a given.

Hang in there. You're going to come through fine. Congratulations on having quit smoking, and take advantage of the wake-up call to eat healthy and exercise. You might as well get some benefit out of losing a testicle!

Wow Scott, thanks so much for your quick response, I didn't get the report yet, I'm sure I will when I go back to the Urologist on Friday, 4-27, then off to the Oncologist 5-2 for x-rays and ct scans.. I'll feel a lot better inside once that stuff is done, the unknown is a scary thing.
I am taking the opportunity to start changing my life, so to speak. My commitment to not smoking is the strongest it's ever been, and my Philosophy that "any food that's not fried is not good", is going to have to change...lol... I'm not overweight, I get lots of excercise, so the eating better will definately help, I'm sure........I'm really going to miss the fried twinkies and fried candy bars at the fairs though..lol...

[Pete]

Hi Pete,
You are going to be ok.
Like Scott wrote, you are likely a canidate for Radiation.
Also, I think it is always a good idea to get a second opinion at a center of execellence when dealing with cancer.
If you want children in the future, you may want to consider sperm banking.
I always forget my questions for my doctor as well, I think that is typical.
Best of luck,

Thanks man, we've decided not to have kids a long time ago, we're too busy for that, lol , I try to practice as much as possible though !
I think you're right about seeking a 2nd opinion though....we'll definately look at that option.

[Fed]

Hey! Another fellow from MA! Where are you from?

Although in some way it sucks to get new members to this club, I am glad that you have found the Forum. There are plenty of people here with loads of experience, so you are in good company here.

Scott has pretty much covered the gist of what to expect in the near future with a seminoma diagnosis (same thing I was Dx'd with). The pathology report along with the radiology will determine what further treatment may follow. If your tumor was confined to the testicle without lymphovascular invasion (also called "pT1"), then you are an excellent candidate for surveillance as long as 1) you keep up with the strict schedule of labs and scans, and 2) you can handle the anxiety that comes along as every scheduled lab approaches. With the surgery alone, you have an 80-85% chance of already being cured, so rest assured you will be fine.

A second opinion definitely doesn't hurt. If you don't mind my asking, where have you received your treatment until now? A second opinion, if anything, will set your mind at ease if you are a bit on edge.

Keep us posted, and do let us know if any other questions or concerns arise. Take care, and Go Sox!

[Pete]

Hey! Another fellow from MA! Where are you from?

Although in some way it sucks to get new members to this club, I am glad that you have found the Forum. There are plenty of people here with loads of experience, so you are in good company here.

Scott has pretty much covered the gist of what to expect in the near future with a seminoma diagnosis (same thing I was Dx'd with). The pathology report along with the radiology will determine what further treatment may follow. If your tumor was confined to the testicle without lymphovascular invasion (also called "pT1"), then you are an excellent candidate for surveillance as long as 1) you keep up with the strict schedule of labs and scans, and 2) you can handle the anxiety that comes along as every scheduled lab approaches. With the surgery alone, you have an 80-85% chance of already being cured, so rest assured you will be fine.

A second opinion definitely doesn't hurt. If you don't mind my asking, where have you received your treatment until now? A second opinion, if anything, will set your mind at ease if you are a bit on edge.

Keep us posted, and do let us know if any other questions or concerns arise. Take care, and Go Sox!

Hey there Fed, I'm from Worcester, not too far from you. I got my treatment at U-mass Memorial, Dr. Glazier is my Urologist and surgeon.
I'm anxious now just waiting for all the rest of the tests, but all in good time I guess. Just talking and reading the content here has eased my mind a bit. Reading here a portion of the day, as i'm still hanging around due to the surgery, brought me to the realization........I have cancer....hmmmm....this isn't good....but all the success stories are a real boost. I'll definately post when I get my ct scan and x-rays done, keep your fingers crossed.

[Scott]

I'm really going to miss the fried twinkies and fried candy bars at the fairs though..lol...

My arteries are cringing.

[Fed]

Reading here a portion of the day [...] brought me to the realization........I have cancer.

Yup... that is always the shocker. I work at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute doing research in cancer biology, so you can imagine how much of a shock it was from my end (if not ironic). I had been studying cancer for several years only to find myself on the other side of the fence.

Receiving news of having cancer is never easy, and the first few days are a bit surreal. To your advantage, though, testicular cancer is arguably the one with the highest cure rates, and seminoma is the easiest of the lot to treat. In the meantime, focus on recovering from the I/O. At this juncture, there is no point in worrying about the next step, since you still have to wait for the remainder of your radiology before further decisions are made (and yes, the waiting sucks).

To answer your question on surveillance, it may seem like you are not seeking treatment pro-actively; but, in reality, doing follow-ups with labs and scans actually is being pro-active because in the off-chance there is a relapse, you can catch it early enough that it will still be easy to treat with incredibly high cure rates. With surveillance, you may not be getting meds (i.e. chemo) or getting zapped (with radiation), but rather you are keeping an eye on things instead of receiving treatment you possibly may not need.

You will find here people that have undergone every form of treatment for stage I seminoma: surveillance (like yours truly), adjuvant radiation, and adjuvant chemo. While we're no substitute for the professional advice of an M.D., we can surely provide guidance and experience with all of these options. You really have no bad choices here, and that works to your advantage.

Hang tough, dude. It's OK to be a bit on edge. Rest assured that when the time comes to settle on a treatment option, no matter what you pick, you will be cured (if not already).

[Fed]

My arteries are cringing.

I took my wife and my kid out for ice cream today (on such a gorgeous day), and they were selling chocolate covered potato chips. I know exactly how you're feeling .

[Pete]

I took my wife and my kid out for ice cream today (on such a gorgeous day), and they were selling chocolate covered potato chips. I know exactly how you're feeling .

mmmmmmmm.......fat coated with fat......mmmmmmmm...


Thanks for your input guys, I'm quite sure you can tell, i'm just a nervous wreck, for good reason I guess, however, I'm really trying to get a handle on all these emotions, and just move forward, not much else I can do really.
I want cookies.......covered in chocolate

[Scott]

That's the right direction. As we heard in the Disney movie "Meet the Robinsons": "Keep moving forward."

[Sans rt1]

You have a reason to be nervous, but the good news is that you have something that is very treatable. And, if it was indeed the size of a pea, you caught it very very early, so your probability of a cure is close to certain.

Yes, the emotional part of getting a diagnosis, no matter how treatable, is kind of wild. Used to think I was quite strong and nothing got to me, now I find myself choking up at movies or getting a lump in my throat when I hear certain songs on the radio. Finding out that you are not immortal and realizing how quickly things can change definitely brings out the human side in you.

Hopefully as all of the labs and CT reports come in you can relax a bit as they confirm that there is no evidence it spread. Then you have the decision whether to treat or go the surveillence route.

Here in Northern California it was cold and rainy yesterday - but this morining it is sunny and beautiful.

[Pete]

I finally got out today with some friends. My wife and I belong to a mini cooper club and I attended a shopping event at IKEA today. It's really the first time I've been out and about since my surgery last friday. What a world of difference it's done for my attitude. The sun and fun and time with friends are soooo what I needed. It was really nice though, the cancer was a very short lived part of the conversation today, there were a few questions and that's it, I was able to just have fun and forget about my worries.

here's a few photos from the day

[Fed]

That's exactly what you are supposed to be doing. Get out, enjoy the weather, and forget about your worries for a bit. You will be fine! Take care,