Doug Bank - Riverwoods, Illinois - TCRC Publisher - Diagnosed at age 26 (Oct 1992) with Stage I Non-Seminoma (immature teratoma, teratocarcinoma, yolk sac tumor). Treated with Surveillance. Married with 3 kids, all conceived after the cancer.   Scott - Texas Diagnosed at age 26 (Oct 1995) with Stage I Non-Seminoma (mostly embryonal cell carcinoma). Treated with RPLND. Married and work as an family physician in the Army. Adopted a newborn baby 6/99 because of TC related infertility.   Ben Glassner - Denver, Colorado Diagnosed at age 24 (May 2000) with Stage II Non-Seminoma (100% Embryonal Cell Carcinoma). Treated with RPLND, found one positive lymph node. One month after my surgery I decided to go with preventive chemotherapy. It has been more than a year now, and I have a clean bill of health. I travel as a sales manager and pretty much live the same life I lived before except I appreciate every beer a little more now. And I eat healthy, something I thought would never happen.   Matt - Washington - Matt's Homepage Diagnosed at age 16 (Nov 1996) with Stage II Non-Seminoma. Treated with chemo and RPLND. The cancer came back in August 98 and was treated with a bilateral RPLND.   Lonny Worman - Dresser, Wisconsin Diagnosed at age 46 (Apr 1995) with Stage II Non-Seminoma (embryonal, yolk sac, and immature teratoma).Treated with RPLND and chemo. Experienced severe breast pain 6-9 months after Orchiectomy, which included lumps in one breast. Surgery (partial mastectomy) revealed no tumors, they believe it was all related to a change in testosterone levels. I am married with no children. Primary hobby is computers.   Peter - USA Diagnosed at age 29 (Dec 1979) with Stage II Non-Seminoma (embryonal with teratoma and choriocarinoma). treated with RPLND and chemo. I received my chemo at Memorial Sloan Kettering and was on the VAB VI protocol. Cisplatin, Bleomycin, Velban, Cytoxin, Actinomycin D and the kitchen sink, for a year!   Ryan - USA Diagnosed at age 21 (Apr 1996) with Stage I Non-Seminoma. Treated with adjuvant BEC chemo at MD Anderson.   Brian Drake - Olympia, Washington Diagnosed at age 29 (Jan 1986) with embryonal cell carcinoma with teratoma. I had an orchiectomy in January 86 and a RPLND in Februrary 86. Surgery was performed by Dr. Paul Lange (see list of docs specializing in TC) while he was in Minnesota. I had retrograde ejaculation for a short time, then full function returned. Five years of regular chest x-rays and tumor markers afterward. Surgery was hell, but I would do it again in a minute if necessary. I would be happy to discuss my experiences with anyone interested.   Bernt Sulebust - Oslo, Norway - Homepage diagnosed at age 22 (Apr 1991) with Stage IIC Non-Seminoma. Treated with Chemo (4xBEP) and RPLND. Living together with girlfriend and works with computer system management (Lotus Domino). Interests are computers, travel, astronomy/space history and spending time with friends.   Kevin Kuehler - Arlington Heights, Illinois Diagnosed at age 26 (Mar 1997) with Stage I Non-Seminoma (embryonal and teratocarcinoma). Treated with RPLND. The cancer recurred in the lungs in Nov 97. Recurrence treated with chemo. Married with 1 child and a miracle bun in the oven. Another cyclist with a nutty lump, or a lumpy nut!   Ronnie - Israel Diagnosed at age 41 (Oct 1992) with Stage II Non-Seminoma. Treated with chemo and RPLND. Chemo was absolute hell for me; I was in a wheelchair for the last treatment and had a lot of problems with vomitting and hearing loss. My wife and my sense of humor got me through, and the doctors and nurses could not have been nicer. I'm a bookworm and an avid walker. I'm married with 2 adopted children, ex-Brit living in Israel.   Craig - USA Diagnosed at age 25 (1985) with Stage II Non-Seminoma. Treated with RPLND and 9 cycles of chemo! Battling a recurrence 15 years later... Co-Founder of cancerOnline.   John - USA Diagnosed at age 31 (Oct 1996) with Stage I Non-Seminoma (embryonal). Treated with Surveillance.   Ronan - Israel Diagnosed at age 28 (1995) with Stage I Non-Seminoma. Treated with RPLND. Gay.   Anthony - Raleigh, North Carolina Diagnosed at age 23 (Oct 1995) with Stage I Non-Seminoma. Treated with RPLND (with severe complications).   Eric - Rockville, Maryland Diagnosed at age 26 (Dec 1993) with Stage II Non-Seminoma. Treated with Chemo and RPLND. Treatment was not easy, but it helped to have another TC survivor to lean on. The most uncomfortable part was realizing that I may be sterile. I went to the lab and banked sperm. Out of 12 samples, they were able to get four good ones which were frozen until last year. It took a few years to regain my fertility, but three years after the treatment I was told that I was not shooting blanks anymore.   John Cavallaro - Lexington, MA - Diagnosed at age 33 (May 1997) with stage I Non-Seminoma (mixed germ cell carcinoma: immature and mature teratoma, seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac and syncytiotrophoblasts) while in graduate school. Treated with nerve-sparing RPLND. Unmarried, no children.   Ron Breland - Houston, TX Diagnosed at age 30 (Feb 1989) with Stage II Non-Seminoma, after several years of landscape pesticide exposure. Treated with 5 rounds chemo (VIP), followed by RPLND. As a result, started an organic based landscape firm, which is still going strong. Divorced w/no kids.   Scott - New York Diagnosed at age 39 (Mar 2000) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with surveillance. To me the RPLND was just not an option. So what if I go to the doctor 12 times a year? Life has changed.   Brandon - Portland, OR Diagnosed at age 28 (Mar 1998) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with surveillance. This was a relatively high risk surveillance given a 99% embryonal tumor, but it has been more than two years without a recurrence!   Grant - Boston and Chicago Diagnosed at age 33 (Oct 1999) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with an RPLND. I would very much like to assist recently (and similarly) diagnosed patients who may be considering the same treatment options. I am very open to questions from the patient as well as loved ones about the "entire experience"!   Louis - Boston & NY Diagnosed at age 29 (Jul 1998) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with Surveillance. I'm gay and HIV+, but have passed the 2 year cancer free period! It's been a rocky two years, but life does go on!   John S - Denver, CO - Diagnosed at age 25 (Jan 1997) with Stage I Nonseminoma (100% embryonal with vascular invasion). Treated with 2xBEP.   Paul Fredricks - Bethel, CT Diagnosed at age 28 (Jul 1991) with Stage II Nonseminoma. Treated with chemotherapy and a bilateral RPLND. Father of two (before surgery). Currently giving cancer awareness talks at local high schools.   Dan Bauer - Ithaca, NY Diagnosed at age 21 (Oct 2000) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with an RPLND at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston by Dr. Jerome Richie. So far so good. Currently attending Cornell University.   Kurt - Eaton, Pennsylvania Diagnosed at age 33 (Apr 1998) with Stage I Nonseminoma. Treated with an RPLND. He had a clean RPLND, but it still came back in his lungs and did not want to go away. He had 4 cycles of BEP and 3 cycles of High Dose chemo with a stem cell transplant.   Robert - USA Diagnosed at age 34 (Dec 1996) with Stage III Nonseminoma. Treated with bilateral RPLND and 6 cycles of chemo. I have experienced a lot of complications that I would be happy to discuss. These include bleomycin side effects, lymphoceles, retrograde ejaculation, sperm banking, fertility problems, insurance problems, support issues and a divorce! I am 3 years cancer free and all is well, no, life is very good. Still have lymphocele problems every now and then.   Sachin Waikar - Chicago, IL Diagnosed at age 32 (March, 2001) with Stage I Non-Seminoma (95% embryonal with vascular invasion). Treated with 2 cycles of preventative chemotherapy (platinum and etoposide)--an unconventional, controversial approach--at the University of Chicago cancer center. Married with one child and hoping to have more. I spent a lot of time deciding among surveillance, RPLND surgery, and chemo, and would be happy to discuss what went into this difficult decision.