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Hi doc..
I still have to take this test, but.. If i had testicular cancer, would i have to go back to America for treatment? Or would you trust the doctors that work in foreigners' hospitals in Beijing? There is American and Japanese hospital here, but the prices there are amazing.
I still have to take this test, but.. If i had testicular cancer, would i have to go back to America for treatment? Or would you trust the doctors that work in foreigners' hospitals in Beijing? There is American and Japanese hospital here, but the prices there are amazing.
The one hospital on Wangfujing is supposed to be very good. However, the other hospitals range from ok to horribly bad. You should see the one I spent time in, as a physician consultant, in Dengfeng. Very scary.
Well, testicular masses and testicular cancer can be one hell of an extensive discussion. There are quite a few types of testicular cancers, all depending upon what type of cell is going wild. For now, that's not important. What is relevant to this question, is the treatment regimen.
Generally, the finding of a testicular mass on sonogram will lead to a radical inguinal orchiectomy. The spermatic cord and blood supply to that testicle is cut off prior to manpulation of the cancerous organ, so that tumor cells don't spill out into the venous circulation and spread throughout the body. Needless to say, careful handling, and an experienced surgeon, are necessary. Most testicular cancer cells are easy to kill with low to moderate dose radiation, but, you have to know where they are to do so. A surgeon who just rips out the testicle without following the proper maneuvers, can cause testicular cancer cells to spread throughout the body. Not a good thing.
Because of the lymphatic flow from the testicle, one of the other issues is spread of the cancer to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes that surround the aorta and vena cava in the abdomen. Sometimes, retroperitoneal node dissection and removal is called for; sometimes, surgeons will opt to just observe the patient, closely, on a monthly basis, for years, which is a more conservative approach. Cure rates in most of these cancers, with retroperitoneal dissection is very high, but it has to be done properly, and carefully. Improper node dissection can lead to complications, including bowel obstruction, sepsis, infection, and major blood vessel disruption. Complications, in the proper hands, are not too common. What is more common with this type of surgery, is disruption of the nerves that deal with ejaculation. Destruction of these nerves during dissection can lead to improper ejaculation, which we call retrograde ejaculation. Instead of the ejaculate going out, it goes into the bladder. Not to much fun for you, maybe more desirable for your partner. Money shots become a thing of the past.
The point of all of this is, if you do have a testicular mass, you're looking at a longer treatment regimen than you think. You have to be followed by a urological surgeon who is experienced in dealing with this sort of thing, for quite a while. Radiation therapy and or chemotherapy, both very successful in treating this disease for the most part, is going to take some time.
Basically, I strongly suggest that you return to the US and get proper, dependable health care. Being far from home, and, in my opinion, though you can find some good western medical care in China, I don't think it is that comparable to the medical care you can get in the US. The US and Europe tend to be the stronger when it comes to the newest advancements in medical care. You're not dealing with a simple thing, such as a hernia repair, here. This is going to require some long term follow up, and being away from home is probably not the best way to do this. Though prices may be cheap, that doesn't mean that the health care is up to US standards.
One exception to this line of thinking, is Thailand and Hong Kong. Generally, the wealthier Chinese who really need complicated health care, get the hell out and go to the far more westernized medical centers in Bangkok, and Hong Kong. The British influence in Hong Kong over the years has resulted in good quality health care, at least, before the Chinese moved in and ruined the place. Bangkok has excellent health care, cheap, and up to American standards. I'm quite impressed with what I've found here. It's becoming a medical mecca even for Americans, who are disgusted with the high prices, and managed care nonsense, in the US. Surprisingly, many American companies are not flying their sick workers to Bangkok for surgical care. The price of sending people across the world for a few weeks still is less than what it costs them to deal with health care in the US. If you can't afford care in the US, then my second choice would be Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.
So, what does this all boil down to? Get the hell out of China.
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