Testicular Cancer

This is what it is.  This is what my family has been dealing with the last few weeks.  This is what my friends and family have been praying for.  This is what Brandon has been diagnosed with and had surgery to remove.  Testicular cancer.

I won't pretend to be an expert, but I am learning a lot about it as we move through this stage of our lives....

The surgery that happened a week ago removed the area in which we knew the tumors were.  Those tumors were sent off to pathology where they examined them and made the official diagnosis - testicular cancer.  We were told almost two weeks ago that they were 90 - 95% sure that Brandon had testicular cancer.  So this was no surprise (although I will admit I had hoped and prayed they were wrong).  But now we are sure, and now we know what types of cancerous tumors they were.  The official pathology report is still pending.  Part of the tumors could not be diagnosed fully and have been sent off to the Mayo Clinic.  BUT - 90% of the report is in and those tumors have been diagnosed as seminoma.  This is a slow-growing germ cell tumor that responds very well to radiation therapy, and also has a very high cure rate.  The remaining 10% of cancerous tumors have not been identified as either seminoma or non-seminoma.  Non-seminoma is a more aggressive cancer cell that spreads quickly and needs chemotherapy as treatment.  There are lots of websites offering more details if you are interested - like this one.

So there you have it.  The hospital is supposed to contact us within the next two days to set up the pelvic, abdominal and chest CT scan.  This will determine if the cancer has spread to any of those regions, as those areas are the typical subsequent affected areas of testicular cancer.  Regardless of whether or not the cancer has spread to those regions, Brandon's urologist has referred us to an oncologist at The Hope Center in Cartersville, GA.  He says that more than likely, if all tumors come back as seminomas, Brandon will undergo a few rounds of radiation therapy to ensure that no new cancerous cells grow back in that region.  If the remaining 10% comes back as non-seminomas, then he will undergo both chemo and radiation, as the two different types of cancer respond differently to the separate treatments.  And of course, if the CT scan shows any cancerous cells in the aforementioned regions - more chemotherapy. 

The good news in all of this is that we're dealing with a form of cancer that has a very high cure rate and is very responsive to treatments.  Also good news - the preliminary examination of the tumors seemed to show that the cancerous germ cells had not penetrated out of the testicle that was removed.  But that was the preliminary exam, and we will know more as the results trickle in throughout the next few days.  

The CT results should be concluded within a few days of the scan, at which time we will go back to the doctor for the news and then get our referral to an oncologist.  Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement and prayers.  Brandon is extremely positive and I'm trying my very best to be.  Of course, no one wants to hear that their sweetheart has cancer.  But I believe in God's healing power.  And I believe in Brandon.  He means the world to me, and I would follow him to the end of the earth - even if that includes oncology appointments and cancer treatments.

Please continue to pray.  We need it now more than ever.