Worried about Recurring Throat Cancer: Oct. 23, 2011

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Hello,
Last May, I had my five year check up with my throat doctor. Everything looked great and he told me that since everything has looked good, that he didn't need to see me for 2 years unless I had problems. (Five years ago I had squamous cell c. on the vocal chords. I had surgery and that was it. No chemo or radiation. They got it early and I was lucky.)
In August I broke out in a rash under both arms, on the sides of my breast and on my chest. It was very itchy and after many cremes, shots, a biopsy and dermo visits, they decided to refer me to a allergist. (The biopsy showed sensitive dermatitis.) This allergist appointment is in November.
Since August, I have changed all of my lotions and detergents to hypo-allergenic. Today, the rash flares up and down.
In September, I started to get a sore throat. I didn't think anything of it. I thought maybe a cold was coming on, but it didn't. I have lived on cough drops to soothe the pain. Three weeks ago I decided to go back to my family doctor and fill him in on what was happening with the rash, since I had started with him. I also wanted him to take a look at my throat and see if it was red. Well, it wasn't. He decided to put me on a reflux medicine for a month.
Last week, the rash flared up again and I called the dermo to see if they could speed up the appointment for the allergist. After talking to the dermo nurse on the phone and telling her about the sore throats and my history, we both decided that it might be best to give my throat doctor a call. I was really hesitant because I didn't want to waste anyone's time. My throat doctor had told me that horseness and a sore throat was a red flag. I don't have horseness but that sore throat has been around since September and they are consistent.
Anyway, I emailed my throat doctor's nurse and told her what was happening with my body. I now have a cough that comes and goes. She asked me if I felt like it was in my throat or chest. I told her my throat. Today, my neck feels sore off and one, almost like having the mumps feeling.
I have an appointment with my throat doctor this Thursday. It is a 2 hour drive to his office. My husband says that it is better to be safe than sorry. I have done some research on the internet and alot of what I have read says that if the cancer does not return within 5 years, things should be good.
Has anyone had any experience with recurring throat cancer? I am interested in knowing if the rash has anything to do with it also. A friend of mine said that her sister was diagnosed with stomach cancer this summer and she started out with a itchy rash. I asked my dermo about this and she said that she had read about how patients with cancer have been developing rashes early on.
I am a teacher and it is very hard to teach when your throat feels thick and sore everyday.
I am anxious to hear from anyone with any of these symptoms. Thanks!

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
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    Your ENT doctor will have to sort this out
    There will but no way for you to know for certain until he/she does. I can say without reservation that there is ABSOLUTELY NO CORRELATION between your rash and throat cancer. It is true that the relapse distribution for your original cancer spans only about 3 years. But there is the possibility of another primary. That's why you will need to be looked at.

    If you have reflux, that would be by far the leading possibility for sore throat, hoarseness and cough. It should likely be as fast for you as to have your office indirect laryngoscopy. The doctor should know about what he needs to after just a couple of minutes.

    Best wishes.
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
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    Your choice
    I am a long long term survivor, 3 times longer than you. no way would i or have i gone more than 4 months without visiting and having a look at my mouth, throat, neck. It's your choice not your doctor's, to me it is worth the 50-60 dollars per visit and you are not bothering anyone. I went 12 years without anything showing up, my voice went away again and again and every time i went back in between scheduled visit. At 12 years plus i did the same, voice went away, ears hurt and hard to swallow.... i went in and it turned out 7 doctors thought cancer was there after they all scoped me... went in for biopsy and it was not cancer it was a side effect from treatments of radiation and chemo. 9 months later only 3 weeks after monthly visits during and after treatment I had a sore along side tung.... i called and got in right away... doc said no way cancer but lets biopsy anyway.... he was wrong it was cancer and surgery to remove was easy since it was very tiny. It's not your doctors choice to look at you it is your choice.

    Sorry I do not have rash, just feel you needed to know you have a choice

    John
  • musickelly
    musickelly Member Posts: 8
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    fisrpotpe said:

    Your choice
    I am a long long term survivor, 3 times longer than you. no way would i or have i gone more than 4 months without visiting and having a look at my mouth, throat, neck. It's your choice not your doctor's, to me it is worth the 50-60 dollars per visit and you are not bothering anyone. I went 12 years without anything showing up, my voice went away again and again and every time i went back in between scheduled visit. At 12 years plus i did the same, voice went away, ears hurt and hard to swallow.... i went in and it turned out 7 doctors thought cancer was there after they all scoped me... went in for biopsy and it was not cancer it was a side effect from treatments of radiation and chemo. 9 months later only 3 weeks after monthly visits during and after treatment I had a sore along side tung.... i called and got in right away... doc said no way cancer but lets biopsy anyway.... he was wrong it was cancer and surgery to remove was easy since it was very tiny. It's not your doctors choice to look at you it is your choice.

    Sorry I do not have rash, just feel you needed to know you have a choice

    John

    Doctor Just Called
    Well, my throat doctor just called me and he wants to see me tomorrow. I talked to him on the phone and he said he wants to take a look. He will also try and schedule me in to see the allergist tomorrow if there is an opening. I will have more answers tomorrow. Hopefully it is reflux and nothing more. Stay tuned. Thanks for your comments. Kelly
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
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    Doctor Just Called
    Well, my throat doctor just called me and he wants to see me tomorrow. I talked to him on the phone and he said he wants to take a look. He will also try and schedule me in to see the allergist tomorrow if there is an opening. I will have more answers tomorrow. Hopefully it is reflux and nothing more. Stay tuned. Thanks for your comments. Kelly

    Hi Kelly

    Sounds like you have a bad case of yeast infection in your body, most doctors will never see this but what you can do is to try some over the counter stuff like Vagisil cream. If it works your doctor will need to put you on Nystatin or something to get rid of it. This is common for people who have taking Chemo treatment.

    Wishing you the best in care and welcome to CSN
    Hondo
  • musickelly
    musickelly Member Posts: 8
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    Hondo said:

    Hi Kelly

    Sounds like you have a bad case of yeast infection in your body, most doctors will never see this but what you can do is to try some over the counter stuff like Vagisil cream. If it works your doctor will need to put you on Nystatin or something to get rid of it. This is common for people who have taking Chemo treatment.

    Wishing you the best in care and welcome to CSN
    Hondo

    Doctor's Visit
    Well, we just got back from my appointment with my throat doctor. He did a scope and said everything looked fine on his end. We talked about all my symptoms the last few months and he said that there is definitely something going on with my body. I am heading to an allergist next week and have some blood work done on my ammune systems. I told him I did not like the sore throats, cough and sore neck. He said there is something going on in my body. So...I move on. Thanks for all the nice comments. Kelly
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
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    Doctor's Visit
    Well, we just got back from my appointment with my throat doctor. He did a scope and said everything looked fine on his end. We talked about all my symptoms the last few months and he said that there is definitely something going on with my body. I am heading to an allergist next week and have some blood work done on my ammune systems. I told him I did not like the sore throats, cough and sore neck. He said there is something going on in my body. So...I move on. Thanks for all the nice comments. Kelly

    keep the faith Kelly
    Whatever is going on, you'll get a handle on it.
  • Peeps
    Peeps Member Posts: 6
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    Doctor's Visit
    Well, we just got back from my appointment with my throat doctor. He did a scope and said everything looked fine on his end. We talked about all my symptoms the last few months and he said that there is definitely something going on with my body. I am heading to an allergist next week and have some blood work done on my ammune systems. I told him I did not like the sore throats, cough and sore neck. He said there is something going on in my body. So...I move on. Thanks for all the nice comments. Kelly

    You did the right thing.
    I'm glad to hear it's not a reoccurance of the cancer. That's good that you got that checked out so now you can figure out why you have the rash.