TcInNyc's Treatment Thread

[TcInNyc]

Hi,

After posting last week on another thread, I thought I'd give an update, now that I know more.

I had a left orchietomy last week. The pathology report came back pure seminoma. The chest/abdomen/pelvis CT scan came back clear except for a hemangioma in the liver and "scattered low density lesions seen in the posterior of the right lobe of the liver, measuring 2 to 3 mm. These lesions are too small to characterize with Hounsfield units, and may statistically represent benign cysts." and then later in the report ... "There is no evidence of metastatic disease; however there are scattered low dense lesions in the liver which are too small to categorize on this examination. Ultrasound examination would be beneficial to characterize these lessions for staging purposes."

My urologist didn't think these lesions were anything to worry about and gave me the choice or radiation or observation.

I did go have an ultrasound. They confirmed the hemangioma, but were unable to see any of the so-called low density lesions, this after two technicians, including the supervisor tried. The radiologist looked at the sonogram and said there is nothing there to worry about.

Has anyone else had this type of result from a CAT scan?

Needless to say, I am very happy with the news, despite this small anomoly that no one seems to be worried about. I meet with the radiologist next week to discuss whether to do that treatment. Thoughts on that?

Many thanks for your time. I really appreciate all the info and people on this board. I have been reading the site like crazy over the past week.

Best,
John

[rjs]

Overall, sounds like good news. I had a similar diagnosis last summer and elected to go with the radiation treatments. It can be a tough decision when you have a choice and it really is a personal one. For me, the decision boiled down to percentages and odds. While the odds are good either way for those with pure seminoma and no spread, the traditional course of treatment with radiation makes the odds much better. The percentage odds for complications due to radiation is so low that it is almost not worth worrying about. We are close to the same age so this diagnosis is already an unusual one. Research the net, talk to your doctors and ask lots of questions. No matter the decision you are on your way to recovery.

Good luck!

[TcInNyc]

Week 1 of radiation down

I just finished week one of radiation. Started feeling nauseous almost the first day! Got some meds later in the week and am feeling much better. I've done 5 of 17 treatments. I'm still at work, working mostly full days. The fatigue has hit some, but not too much. Mainly it was the struggle with nausea.

One interesting thing. The radiation technician said to me "Which one was it? Did you drive with your cell phone between your legs while you talk on a headset or did you work with your laptop in your lap?" I said "Are you kidding?!?" Her: "No, we see so many cops that put their radios in the laps while they are driving coming in for cancer." That is how she explains the seeming rash of people my age getting seminoma. I didn't do much of either of those things over the years. What do people think of this theory?

[Michael112]

I have kept my cell phone in my left pants pocket for 7 years now(although I use it without hands free), and that is the side I had the cancer, I still dont think it is relevant, a lot of the population has cell phones. I have always said they say everything causes cancer these days, from the water to the additives in foods to physical trauma, although it may be correct, the causes of cancer is so broad that I am not even going to bother trying to think about it, I wrote my list of about 8 things that could of done it for me but its things that are common so really the only hope is in 40 years I can download the morning newspaper on my computer and read something like "80% of cancers linked to ...."