Staging Question

[mercyriver]

When staging Embryonal Carcinoma after they have found it has spread to the lymph nodes, should they be checking anything past the lungs?

Meaning, should they be verifying that it has not spread beyond the abdominal lymph nodes? My husband thinks this is done when they do the abdominal CT, I honestly have no idea, because we have never seen the CT report.

But I do know that Embryonal Carcinoma can skip the lymph nodes, so if they find it in the lymph nodes, technically it could have already landed somewhere else, correct?

I am just still concerned the oncologist isn't doing what they should for a 100% Embryonal Carcinoma, that now appears to have spread. And I can't get my husband to consider consulting an expert, though I am working on it.

Just trying to get more answers to back up my argument. Husband currently thinks he is at stage IS, he doesn't think he can be any higher because all the staging infomation states that ALL markers have to be elevated to be stage II. I told him anything spread past the original tumor is considered stage II.

Any thing to help this make sense and help convince him to consult and expert would be great.

Becki

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husband dx Sept 11,2006, right I/O Sept 11,2006, 100% Embryonal Carcinoma, 11/30/06-at least 2 enlarged lymph nodes (1.8 cm and 1.9 cm), Beta Hcg 5 mIU/mL

[cbuysse]

It is my understanding they should have done a chest x-ray to confirm it has not spread to the lungs which is the next place it normally spreads to. Did they do a chest x-ray?

[mercyriver]

No, they forgot to do the chest x-ray this last month and my husband is fine with that and sees no reason to let them know they forgot, even though he has had a cough for about 4 weeks now...not that it would say anything, but no, they did not do the November chest x-ray. Which is another arguing point with my husband that he just won't listen to.

Becki

[Scott]

Your husband should certainly have had an x-ray or CT scan of the chest, and he should ask for all the results.

You're right about the staging. Stage I is only when there is no metastasis; the tumor is confined to the testicle. Stage II is spread to the retroperitoneal or para-aortic lymph nodes. Stage III is distant spread to the lungs, liver, brain, etc.

[mercyriver]

Well I am calling tomorrow for all lab and test results as of now and I will keep pushing my husband as well as I can to call the Dr for the chest x-ray.

Thank you Scott for confirming what I thought I had pulled from reading everything I can get my hands on!

Becki