Michigan- L-RPLND

[campjo04]

Thanks for input/advice. Yesterday's AFP was within "normal range"; so the only information that I have to base a RPLND decision is the pathology:

5% Seminoma
50% Embryonal Carcinoma
10% Yolk Sac/endodermal sinus tumor
10% Choriocarcinoma
5% Teratoma


One thing that I hope that others will take from my experience is the 2nd referral, especially when it came to having the pathologists review the slides of specimen. I did have to go to original laboratory where surg was performed and request slides be sent to U of M.

[Marge Pugh]

This does have a deja vu thread feel to it. My son Chris and I are going to Cleveland Clinic to discuss rationale for L-RPLND on 3/20/07. Our path report revealed NO VASCULAR OR LYMPHATIC INVASION. Clear surgical margins, clear CT, markers back to normal. All looks good, right? Except he is 99% EC and has a 30-40% chance that he has mets. He wants the lymph nodes out period. IF they show cancer then he accepts chemo. If not, what a relief and surveillance just got a whole lot easier. My son is 24, I think at this age its very important to ease mental anguish as there are so many other things that need to be on his mind, ie... work, school, girlfriend, living independantly. I think there is not enough evidence to rule out the lap procedure completely and if Chris can be one more success story to support the lap then so be it. The open procedure will still be an immediate option if the lap fails for some reason. Then of course there is the chemo. If only this damn disease was cured completely by the orchidectomy. It seems like that would be enough to have to endure. I embrace all you sons and parents. This road is long but at least its well traveled by survivors.

[dadmo]

Marge:
You are so right. If there is any comfort to be found it's in the fact that this road is very well traveled by survivors. campjo04, I wish you had an easy answer. All I can recommend is to seek out doctors who are familure with tc. The big thing to remember is that you happen to be is a situation where a cure seems very likely the only concern now is not doing more then required.

[campjo04]

Marge:
the only concern now is not doing more then required.

Exactly what I was thinking!!