Stage 1 non seminoma surveillance

[DARDEVIL]

Hi guys

I hope you doin' well.
I m still waiting the answer of my Doctor in Paris concerning RMI instead of ct scan to avoid toxicity. I ll get it in ten days ( I think it s possible)

Anyway I have a question :
what is the probability of getting a positve ct scan after negative blood tests in a non seminoma (EC) surveillance ?

I know it can be otherwise we would go under x rays only in case of positive blood tests.

Hope to read you soon

Bless you all

Dardevil
Paris

[Davepet]

Blood markers are not very reliable in ruling *out* TC, they are really only good indicators that something is wrong.

Dave

[RyanSeattle]

If you never showed tumor markers before your orcheictomy then you probably won't show tumor markers during surveillance. You will need to rely on ct scans and xrays. Chances of a reoccurence are roughly 30%. The more EC you have and whether you have vascular invasion increase these odds. Do you have more info? Tumor type? Vascular invasion?

[DARDEVIL]

Thanks a lot for your answers.
I think the same as you Dave... good indicators. That s because they are good and sensitive that may be it could often announce a positive or a negative scan.
Anyway as you said Ryan it depends about what one had before orchidectomy. To answer you properly it was a predominant EC tumor size 6 mm with may be some choriocarcinoma cells-no vascular invasion-no emboly- no testis invasion-spermatic cordon sane.
Markers before IO : hcg under 0.1 AFP 6.7 (normal 6)
after : hcg under 0.1 AFP 2.2
one month later : same hcg AFP 2.5
is it possible in my case to have negative blood tests and positive ct scans ?

Thanks a lot

[RyanSeattle]

I'm sure its possible or they wouldnt do ct scans and just rely on your tumor markers. I think its likely you would show tumor markers again. 6mm is extremely small. I had 100%EC, no vascular invasion, normal markers, and 1cm tumor. I'm 2years clear. I think surveillance is a very good option for you.

[davidhanson90]

Are there any stats on what % of relapses show the same markers as the original pre IO markers? I've been guessing that 80% of relapses would show the same markers but have no idea where I got that from. Maybe my brain has just made it up.

[DARDEVIL]

Hey Ryan good to hear from your experience. It s helpful. Our story is quite the same. By the way I read somewhere that size was not the big deal in non seminoma compare to seminoma where it s an element of prediction. From my opinion it is bettet to have a small one than a big one ; it shows at least that we took it at an earlier stage, don t you think ?
I m glad for you : 2 years ! You made it. In a non seminoma it is excellent.

To David : it sounds you really understood me I m looking for the information you mentioned. You made me laugh by the way as you said may be you made it by yourself.
Listen if you find me some medical information about it, I pay you a drink ! LOL

Good transition about it : do you continue to live your life the same as before ( sport, drink , smoke, junk food) or do you try to make it different, a little bit or totally.

Bye !

Dardevil
Paris

[davidhanson90]

Well I haven't found an answer to the % of relapses that show the original markers but I did find this which is everything you could ever want to know about markers and surveillance. (Apart from that darn question. )

Markers for TC

[davidhanson90]

Ok using a bit of "google fu" I did manage to dig up this paper

http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/...stractID=20356

Its conclusions for Stage 1A Seminona. Although not relevant to you or I it's quite interesting nonetheless.

Routine measurement of serum tumour markers provides no additional value to CT abdomen/pelvis or physical examination in surveillance for stage I seminoma. After initial staging, serum tumour markers may be omitted from surveillance protocols.

[DARDEVIL]

Hey thank you David !
I read it and I found the same information here in France.
To conclude I would say that tumor markers are not so significative in S comparing to NS and size is not so significative in NS which is the case for S.

And what about your quality of life now : healthy ? What havé you changed ?

Bye
Dardevil

[davidhanson90]

Well I had a plan to eat all healthy and organic at first but since learning about TC its quite clear that diet and fitness have nothing to do with it. TC is a unique type of cancer which doesn't care how healthy you are.

[Davepet]

Well I had a plan to eat all healthy and organic at first but since learning about TC its quite clear that diet and fitness have nothing to do with it. TC is a unique type of cancer which doesn't care how healthy you are.

There's lots of reasons to eat a healthy diet that have nothing to do with TC. You don't have to go crazy about it, just try to eat more of the foods that are likely to give your body what it needs to stay healthy over the long term & less of the garbage food.

Dave

[Nut of Mordor]

And what about your quality of life now : healthy ? What havé you changed ?

I had a healthy lifestyle for about two years before TC dignosis, which includes sports, healthy food, I quitted to smoke and I drink a very few alcohol. After TC, It will be even more healthy with all the previous things plus yoga and naturopathy. Having an healthy body means stronger immune system that means lower % to get other diseases and be stronger during possible chemio treatments.
We all speak about the possible relapses of our TC, but no one takes in mind that smoking means very high % to get lungs cancer (MUCH MUCH worse than TC) as well as other kind of cancers, heart diseases etc. Same goes for bad food, being fat etc.

I will never understand people who faced TC and maybe chemio but keep on smoking and having all the aformentioned bad habits. It's really beyond me, maybe facing death once is not enough ?