stage 1 seminoma radiation or surveillance??

[cbuysse]

Well I went ahead with the Radiation and it is over. It was such a toss up as to whether I should do it or not or not that in the end for me it came down to my wife and children. I have four young children and a very worried wife and I didn't want to put her through surveillance or a possible reoccurrence. Had I been single with only me to think of I may have leaned the other way it was that close of a decision. It has been two weeks since I wrapped up the Rad and I am feeling great.

[Karen]

cbuysse,
Congrats on putting the RT behind you, moving on and feeling great! Keep us posted on your follow ups! Health and happiness going forward///Karen.

[Andy Leftgone]

Andy, I am curious as to why they recommended RT plus Carboplatin for you at the time of your reoccurrence - this combination of RT plus chemo doesn't seem to be a 'standard' protocol for seminoma here in the U.S. Where was your reoccurrence, in the lymph nodes only or (also) in the lungs or any other organs? How large were the masses they found with your reoccurrence ?

I'm not really sure to be honest.. I asked and researched it at the time and it seemed that there was some research that had been done in the UK but not enough for it to be accepted as a standard protocol, I am under Prof Horwich at the Royal Marsden in the UK and as far as I know he is one of the leading lights in TC in the UK. The recurrence was in a lymph node and was just over 1cm, I think their thinking was that the RT plus one dose of carbo was making doubly sure - i couldn't see any harm in it so went along with it! not sure if this is the best way to be! As for still having CT scans, again I'm not really sure, it seems that at The Royal Marsden they now seem to be extra vigilant, the consultant was saying to me that the CT will show any other abnormalities cancerous or otherwise and then also I think in a year they are going to do a general health check on me, including things like cholesterol, organ functions etc etc, again I am sort of just going along with it as I can't see it being too bad a thing..