2x or 1x carboplatin?

[db79]

After weighing all the pros and cons and reading tons of medical articles and talking to as many people as I could, I decided to do the carboplatin treatment for my stage 1B t2, 3cm, extensive RTI, LVI, hilar fat invasion seminoma. Several doctors , including Dr Einhorn have suggested I go with surveillance, but I am worried since I am a 1B and I have the rete and lvi. I have been reading old posts from the formus here and it seems that 2x carboplatin is a common treatment. Can anyone shed some light why choose one over the other or why you chose the way you did? What was your pathology, 1A or 1B, t1-t2? Thank you.

[billandtuna]

Hi db79! I know it's a grueling decision to make... I read EVERYTHING I could find, and talked with 3 oncologists before finally making my mind up to do carbo x2. Looking back, I'm still not 100% sure it was the right decision - sooooo, I try not to look back :-) and take each day forwards.
Having said that, 2x carbo is a pretty mild chemo (as these things go), and is more effective in stamping down the possibility of recurrence than 1x carbo.
But surveillance is also an excellent option.
Both options can be scary - with surveillance, you may feel dread waiting and waiting for each follow-up visit. And chemo is no picnic, and you still have to have the same surveillance after chemo that you would have had without it.

The first year was rough for me - with each follow-up, there was some test that was out of range. The doctors never seemed worried, but I was freaking out. But finally after 2 years, everything was normal, and I'm greatly relieved - really back to normal life to the point I rarely think about it. I've scheduled my 3 year already, but I think I'm going to skip the 4th year and go right to the 5th, if my oncologist will go with me on that, and I'm pretty sure he will.

{I had 1A, 4.5cm, with rete testis involvement - I frankly don't remember whether there was LVI or not, but IIRC that doesn't seem to make much prognostic difference}

Anyway, welcome to the club, and keep us posted - I'm interested to hear your decision and how it goes for you.

[Davepet]

My understanding is that 2x carboplatin has fallen out of favor & that 1x is all they recommend now, I could be wrong.

[Derjayger]

Keep in mind that Dr. Einhorn has taken your stage into the calculation.
("but I am worried since I am a 1B and I have the rete and lvi")