Help with understanding a diagnosis?

Ok so the good news you have testicular cancer which in Cancer terms means it’s a “good one to get”as it is highly curable and treatable at all stages! 

The hospital meets to discuss each case individually in a MDT meeting. This is a multi disciplinary meeting when all the experts meet to discuss what is your best treatment plan is. 

My husband had non seminoma like you and it took 5 weeks for his MDT due to Christmas and when the meeting fell. He saw an oncologist ( cancer specialist) about 8 weeks after his op. I was worried about the delay but a friend reassured me that the MDT is great as it is experts agreeing on what’s best for each individual.

My husband needed Chemo in the end and is fit and well a year after finishing his treatment.

Easy to say especially when you get a Scary letter like that with no explanation but the fact they have booked in a CT scan and bloods means they are doing everything as they should and don’t worry about that side. 

The waiting is the worst especially at the start but remember the hospital team are the experts and they don’t risks with lives or delay because they have forgotten you. They are doing it in the best way that they know works so do trust them. 

Good Luck and stay off google, it will drive you crazy and can be highly inaccurate and alarming! Stick to research on this website and ask any qs in this forum. 

Here if you need! 

Hi angel1994,

I'm sorry to hear you've joined our "Club".

I am not a doctor or medical professional, but I've read a lot about TC. I was diagnosed with Stage 1 seminoma, my surgery was in Dec 2019 and I recently completed 2 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy.

I know this is a shock and you must be understandably worried and anxious, but please take solace in the fact that TC on the whole is highly treatable and even curable in most cases. Many are in fact "cured" after the surgery, with low risk of recurrence, and active surveillance may well be all that is needed thereafter. Some may require chemotherapy (or other treatment).

Your next meeting with the doctors will set out more details on what it all means and their suggestions for the next course of action. It's likely you will undergo a CT scan to assess whether there's been any spread. It is the waiting that is tough, and I found that reading about TC and discussing with people on this forum really helped me.

The information you gave is not detailed enough- you have been told the type of tumour, but additional information is needed, including the "Staging" (IE- stage 1? stage 2? etc) of your tumour, as well as an assessment of whether there has been any spread, as this affects the next steps. The next meeting with your doctors should set out exactly what the pathology report revealed, and you should read up in advance of your meeting, so you know what questions to ask.

However, as general comments, from what you have said, you've been diagnosed with non-seminoma (different from seminoma which I had). The important point to understand is that this means the course of chemotherapy (or other) treatment should it be recommended for non-seminoma differs from the chemotherapy for seminoma. The Staging of your tumour also may affect whether active surveillance or adjuvant therapy (or some other treatment) is suggested.

I found this website to be very informative. It is packed with information, so I recommend taking time to read and digest, and re-read. It sets out pretty much everything about TC and what you should expect. Note- it is a US site, so bear that in mind as your doctors / hospitals may have a slightly different approach.

http://thetcrc.org

Stay strong, and please ask any questions on this forum.

best, Kevin