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Hi guys i was diagnosed on 11-1 had orcectimy on 11-9. It was a .8cm 100% embroynal carcinoma with LVI. Stage 1b from what ive been told and read .All ct scans, xray to the chest and tumor markers were all normal. I went to see the oncologyst today and he recomended 2 x BEP for 6 weeks. After researching RPLND and chemo( i would say they are about equal) im leaning toward the chemo just for the fact that if i did the RPLND and the cancer came back i would have to do chemo anyway. The dr was very knowledgable and i felt bery comfortable after the disscussion. Just wondering if you guys had any thoughts. Thanks guys and i appreciate it
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Forgot to say i had all blood work and scans done the day before orcectiomy -
Sorry to welcome you. 0.8 cm is very small, although we can't tell if it's spread or not from the size of the tumor. However, I am impressed you caught it at that size. You have 3 choices, all with the same survival odds:
1) surveillance - 50% relapse rate, but 50% chance you're already cured!! Indiana University recommends this approach.
2) 1 x BEP - 3 % relapse rate. I've noticed that MD Anderson hospital tends to lean towards this.
3) RPLND - 10% relapse rate if lymph nodes are negative. If there are some positive lymph nodes (about a 25% chance of finding something in your lymph nodes), then the relapse rate rises (depending on number and size of lymph nodes found). Sloan-Kettering cancer hospital recommends this approach.
2 x BEP is not a choice that any TC expert would recommend. That's only 1 cycle short of full dose chemo and you may already be cured.Diagnosed at age 31. Treated in NYC. Now living in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
7/1/2015: felt tiny lump on side of R testicle
7/30/2015: Ultrasound shows 2 intra-testicular masses.
7/31/2015: tumor markers normal, CXR clear
8/5/2015: R orchiectomy
8/11/2015: Pathology: 1.2 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm, embryonal 80%, seminoma 20%, with LVI and rete testis invasion
8/14/2015: CT abdomen/pelvis clear, Stage 1b
8/24/2015: started 1 x BEPComment
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Right on bro thanks for your input. I didnt realise 3 was a full dose. He said he has done this in the past i can bring up 1x. Maybe since it is 100% embroynal he is concerned, hell so am i, the less likley to come back the better. I see you did 1x hows it going for you brother?Comment
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Also forgot to say i was in the shower shaving my boys and found it. I mean i pretty much give myself a self check every time i shave i suppose. Now i tell all my froends check them once a weekComment
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Hey Scott, since you have 100% EC, there is some good news in that. EC is very sensitive to chemo, even more so than many of the other sub-types. I did 1 x BEP. BEP is hard stuff and I was hit harder than most. I had chemo brain for several months afterwards. I'm more than a year out and feeling good at this time. If your doc is suggesting 2 x BEP, he's lagging behind in the most current research.Diagnosed at age 31. Treated in NYC. Now living in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
7/1/2015: felt tiny lump on side of R testicle
7/30/2015: Ultrasound shows 2 intra-testicular masses.
7/31/2015: tumor markers normal, CXR clear
8/5/2015: R orchiectomy
8/11/2015: Pathology: 1.2 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm, embryonal 80%, seminoma 20%, with LVI and rete testis invasion
8/14/2015: CT abdomen/pelvis clear, Stage 1b
8/24/2015: started 1 x BEPComment
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Thanks again, i go in for consultation in a few weeks ill bring it up see what he says. I also emailed einhorn see what he has to say. Thanks again broComment
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If you plan to do BEP or RPLND, the faster the better. I would not wait that long. I did 1 x BEP 3 weeks after orchiectomy. That's relatively quick.Diagnosed at age 31. Treated in NYC. Now living in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
7/1/2015: felt tiny lump on side of R testicle
7/30/2015: Ultrasound shows 2 intra-testicular masses.
7/31/2015: tumor markers normal, CXR clear
8/5/2015: R orchiectomy
8/11/2015: Pathology: 1.2 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm, embryonal 80%, seminoma 20%, with LVI and rete testis invasion
8/14/2015: CT abdomen/pelvis clear, Stage 1b
8/24/2015: started 1 x BEPComment
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Ya sorry consultation in 9 days first round im sure a day or 2 after thatComment
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I agree in that your physician may be a bit behind on the literature, which is not uncommon at all as TC is not that common, but BEPx1 would be appropriate for stage Ib disease and not BEPx2 according to any experts I have spoken with. I
f you are going with BEPx1 and it gets to be around 6 weeks from your first CT scan then repeating a CT scan to be sure that you are still stage Ib and haven;t progressed to stage II is what some experts recommend too. Not that you have to fear some fast growing cancer but it is better to be safe than sorry as if it is stage II BEPx1 would be a gross undertreatment.
Also, if you are looking at treatments besides active surveillance then you may want to look into sperm banking if they have not already mentioned this to you. It is really a risk vs. benefit thing that you would have to decide on depending your concerns with future fertility.
MikeOct. 2005 felt lump but waited over 7 months.
06.15.06 "You have Cancer"
06.26.06 Left I/O
06.29.06 Personal Cancer Diagnosis Date: Got my own pathology report from medical records.
06.30.06 It's Official - Stage I Seminoma
Surveillance...
Founded the Testicular Cancer Society
6.29.13 Summited Mt. Kilimanjaro for 7th Cancerversary
For some reason I do not get notices of private messages on here so please feel free to email me directly at [email protected] if you would like to chat privately so as to avoid any delays.Comment
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Thanks mike he could be behind a little bit, thats why i am here. I will bring up these concerns. The scans were done on election day go figure so the 8th. Had r/o on the 9th. Having my consultation on the 29th. Hopefully i can start treatment on the next day or two. My wife and i talked about the sperm banking but theres no need. Thanks a lot guysComment
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