Kicking & Screaming Through Seminoma
Kicking & Screaming Through Seminoma
Episode 129
Bray Hansel thought he was done. After a swollen left testicle led to an orchiectomy and a pathology report showing an eight-centimeter pure seminoma contained to the testicle, the 37-year-old financial advisor, husband, and father of three from outside Philadelphia went on surveillance feeling like a survivor — proud of what he'd gotten through and ready to move on. But testicular cancer had other plans.
In this episode of It Takes Balls, Bray shares a story that captures just how unpredictable seminoma can be. What started as a borderline stage 2B diagnosis became months of confusing scans: a scan showing no active cancer, a blood test reading 0.00 cancer DNA, and normal tumor markers — all while a lone lymph node in his abdomen quietly kept growing. His care team's honest conclusion was that the cancer was declaring itself, landing Bray in the group of seminoma patients who need further treatment after an orchiectomy.
Faced with several paths — BEP chemotherapy, carboplatin plus radiation, or a robotic RPLND — Bray walks through one of the most difficult decisions of his life. He explains why he had concerns about the long-term risks of chemo and radiation, and chose a robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection Penn. Of the 15 lymph nodes removed, five contained cancer — more than expected, but still low-volume, with no adjuvant therapy needed and roughly an 80% chance of staying recurrence-free at two years.
Beyond the medicine, this is a conversation about perspective, humor, and community. Bray talks about coaching his undefeated soccer team through treatment, making an "RPLND playlist," showing his testicle to his buddies in a parking lot before surgery, and how a whole network — from his wife and friends Brandon, Alex, and Ryan to strangers who never knew they were helping — carried him through. He reflects on the phrase "a problem shared is a problem halved," how cancer deepened his marriage and relationships, and his desire to follow in the footsteps of TCAF's Jordan Jones by being a resource for the next guy.
Whether you're navigating a seminoma diagnosis, weighing treatment options after an orchiectomy, or supporting someone through testicular cancer, Bray's story is a moving reminder that survivorship can add depth, connection, and even joy — and that no one has to face it alone.
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