Bit of an update. Went to see the oncologist on Wednesday having been given the choice of BEP or heightened risk of secondary cancer. Anyway, oncologist had spoken to his colleagues at Royal Marsden and he strongly suggested a third option, which felt like a logical compromise.
the third option was to effectively replace the radiotherapy with surgery, a "limited template lymph node dissection" - basically to get rid of the infected lymph and those surrounding it. What gave me even more confidence was that the procedure would be done under Professor Nicol at the Royal Marsden...no better place to be I guess?
The operation would be accompanied by a PET scan to ensure the seminoma is limited to where they expect it to be. Not had one of these before but told it is effectively a CT scan with some mildly radioactive glucose solution injected.
The operation would then be followed up by carboplatin to mop up any stray cells.
Anyway, they have only ever done this for a handful of people with my staging before but they seemed confident that the outcome would be positive, and the oncologist was thankfully quite certain and said he felt this was a really good option for me.
Of course, I then have the full arsenal in reserve should I need it.
Whilst it's difficult to be overjoyed by this as none of the options are exactly fun, I admit to being pretty relieved that i could still avoid BEP, at least in the short term.
Have a meeting at Royal Marsden next where I guess I'll find out everything I need to know about the procedure and PET scans, expecting this to be next Friday. Apparently operation might be in a few weeks, 3 or so days in hospital, then out for recovery followed by carboplatin and then (fingers crossed) cure!!
Simon
