Question about radiation

[zig]

Hi everyone. My husband had an orchiectomy on 6/13. It appears to be pure seminoma, stage 2A, though we'll get more details when we meet with the oncologist tomorrow. We live in New York and can be treated at MSKCC, so I feel like we're in good hands. They've set us up for two appointments for tomorrow, first with the medical oncologist and then with the radiation oncologist, so I'm assuming radiation therapy is going to be the recommended treatment.

While clearly the most important thing is getting rid of this cancer and making sure it never comes back, we are also curious about the timing of the treatment. We actually have plans to go on a major trip with extended family this August, and we are trying to figure out if it's at all doable or if we just need to cancel. Assuming radiation is the treatment, how long does it take to start the radiation after you meet with the radiation oncologist (I assume there are a few initial steps you need to take before you can begin) and how long is the full treatment? What kind of side effects can he expect and how long does it take to get over them? I'm trying to weigh the chances of our being on a plane on August 3rd, which is 40 days from today!

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give us.

[eodtech2001]

Radiation is aprox 2 to 3 weeks in duration. But before i say thats the standard, each case is different and has fallen out of favor compare to chemo. So with that being said, i would not even worry about your vacation. Until after you have consults and decide which route you goChemo vs radation the length of radition and the amount will change based on his staging. So 2 to 3 weeks is a guide.
You can always go on another vacation but you dont get a second chance at life.

[HouTex]

I had Seminoma 1A at age 53, now I am 62, and I had radiation treatment with MD Anderson in Houston. 20 grays over 10 days.
Radiation has fallen out of favor, but it works.

Side effects for me were mild. Mostly just got tired by 8 pm and slept in a bit. Some gas and digestion irritability.

Once treatments ended, only about 5 days till back to normal.

[Mike]

How did the appointment go and what did they recommend?

I don't believe that MSKCC is a site but there is also a clinical trial available looking at RPLND surgery in early stage seminoma https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02537548

Mike