Appointment sheet
Choriocarcinoma of the testis
Prepared with OnCo (onco.cc/prep/testicular-choriocarcinoma/). Orientation, not medical advice; your team knows your case.
My details
Name
Date of appointment
Hospital and clinician
Who is coming with me
What I know, what is unclear, changes to discuss
Saved in this browserWhat I know so far
What is unclear to me
Changes since last time
My questions
9 on the sheetNewly diagnosed
- 1.What is my exact diagnosis, stage, and grade, and which tests established them?
- 2.Which biomarkers have been tested on my tumour (for example Serum beta-hCG, Beta-hCG and GATA3 on immunohistochemistry, Lung, liver and brain imaging at diagnosis, Haemoglobin and signs of bleeding during induction), and what were the results?
- 3.Which subtype is my cancer, and does that change the recommended treatment?
- 4.Is germline (inherited) genetic testing recommended for me or my family?
All cases
- 5.For my situation (all cases), which of the standard options do you recommend and why?
- 6.Am I a candidate for Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin or related drugs, and what side effects should I expect?
- 7.How do the results of TIGER: standard-dose TIP versus high-dose TI-CE with stem cell transplant as first salvage for relapsed germ cell tumours apply to someone like me?
Any stage
- 8.Would a second opinion at a high-volume centre change anything, and can you help arrange it?
- 9.What supportive care (symptom control, nutrition, exercise, mental health, financial help) is available from the start?
The words I may hear
- Tumour markers (CEA, LDH, chromogranin, thyroglobulin): Substances released into the blood by some cancers that can be measured with a simple test, useful for tracking whether treatment is working or the cancer is coming back, but rarely good enough to diagnose or screen.
Tests and results to bring
Biomarker results to ask for: Serum beta-hCG (very high; poor-risk marker level), Beta-hCG and GATA3 on immunohistochemistry, Lung, liver and brain imaging at diagnosis, Haemoglobin and signs of bleeding during induction.
Bring copies of scan reports, pathology and blood results, and a list of every medicine and supplement.
The treatments I may be offered
- All cases: Treated as poor-risk non-seminoma: four cycles of BEP or VIP with care for bleeding, resection of residual disease, high-dose chemotherapy or trials for refractory disease. (Non-seminomatous germ cell tumour, Testicular germ cell tumours, Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin, Ifosfamide, TIGER: standard-dose TIP versus high-dose TI-CE with stem cell transplant as first salvage for relapsed germ cell tumours)
From the standard of care recorded for this cancer; which apply depends on your stage and biomarkers. Ask which the team recommends and why.
Answers and next steps
Saved in this browserWhat I was told
Agreed next steps, dates and who to call