Surgery after radiation

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hope3210
hope3210 Member Posts: 27
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

If anyone had surgury after radiation please let me know the risks.

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  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
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    Hi Hope

    I had a tooth pulled 8 years after my second radiation treatment; doc was worried about the hole not closing back up. I did 10 HOB treatments and everything went well and I am doing great.

     

    All the best to you on your decision of what to do

    Tim Hondo  

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #3
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    Surgery

    Myhusband has surgery 6 months after 35 radiation treatments and had no problems with healing whatsoever.  In fact our head and neck specialist was very surprised and pleased with how well he healed after surgery.  The main thing to remember is that everyone is different in how they respond to treatment.

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #4
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    Ladylacy said:

    Surgery

    Myhusband has surgery 6 months after 35 radiation treatments and had no problems with healing whatsoever.  In fact our head and neck specialist was very surprised and pleased with how well he healed after surgery.  The main thing to remember is that everyone is different in how they respond to treatment.

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

    What kind of surgery?

    I had a neck disection after Rads/chemo with no issues. What are they proposing for you?

  • JC F
    JC F Member Posts: 74
    #5
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    ratface said:

    What kind of surgery?

    I had a neck disection after Rads/chemo with no issues. What are they proposing for you?

    Neck dissection...

    I was also wondering about this. Finished tx of 35 rads and 3 cisplatins on Aug.20 for BOT. Was told from the get-go that I might need dissection after tx because the lymph node involvement on the right side was quite large. The lump was fairly large and visible before tx and seems to have gone done after tx but is still large and visible. They will check in a few weeks but I've resigned myself that I will probably need the surgery. How long do they usually wait between end of tx and neck dissection? Are there many side-effects from dissection? Time of recovery? Is it considered "radical" if just on one side? Thanks for any info...

  • Jeff2159
    Jeff2159 Member Posts: 108
    #6
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    JC F said:

    Neck dissection...

    I was also wondering about this. Finished tx of 35 rads and 3 cisplatins on Aug.20 for BOT. Was told from the get-go that I might need dissection after tx because the lymph node involvement on the right side was quite large. The lump was fairly large and visible before tx and seems to have gone done after tx but is still large and visible. They will check in a few weeks but I've resigned myself that I will probably need the surgery. How long do they usually wait between end of tx and neck dissection? Are there many side-effects from dissection? Time of recovery? Is it considered "radical" if just on one side? Thanks for any info...

    surgery after rads

    I've heard surgery after rads is more diffucult. I had 2 neck disections prior to rads 15 years and 1 year prior and i still developed a fistula under my jaw and also had 3 back teeth removed. I did 30 treatments of hyperbaric oxygen for the teeth. Did the HBOT help?not sure but no problems. Neck disection you could get lymphodemia or numbness if they nick a nerve. You want shave for a month due to the stiches

    good luck

    Jeff

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #7
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    hope, I had surgery 2.5 yrs

    hope, I had surgery 2.5 yrs after rads.  i developed a fistula because the radiated skin was so thin it tore open.  radiated skin is damaged is doesn't always heal as well as normal skin.  that is the only possible problem i know of.  good luck.

    God bless,

    dj

  • yensid683
    yensid683 Member Posts: 349
    #8
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    JC F said:

    Neck dissection...

    I was also wondering about this. Finished tx of 35 rads and 3 cisplatins on Aug.20 for BOT. Was told from the get-go that I might need dissection after tx because the lymph node involvement on the right side was quite large. The lump was fairly large and visible before tx and seems to have gone done after tx but is still large and visible. They will check in a few weeks but I've resigned myself that I will probably need the surgery. How long do they usually wait between end of tx and neck dissection? Are there many side-effects from dissection? Time of recovery? Is it considered "radical" if just on one side? Thanks for any info...

    Dissection

    I too had BOT, and the larger nodes, mine were left side and the largest node was 6cm.  Treatment was more involved, induction chemo, followed by rads and concurrent chemo and then, if necessary, surgery.

    I completed rads in July of 2012 and the decision for surgery would be made after a PET scan in early October.  I had the PET and at first the RO was extremely pleased with the results, the small spots on the images were felt to be scat tissue so nothing further than just watching it.  The tumor board met and recommended surgery so I had a selective neck dissection in mid-October, as out-patient surgery no less.  Having seen Youtube videos of the procedure I expected a hospital stay and a lot of post operative challenges but such was not the case.  I only needed pain meds for a couple of days, and while there was some soreness in the following weeks, it was no real issue. 

    I had a PET six months later that showed the same issues so now everyone is panicked and the possiblity of a modified radical was on the table.  I was referred to a specialist and had a second dissection in March of 2013, from what the surgeons told me, the largest node was calcified and they felt it was cancerous.  They sent the node to pathology for immediate testing and got ready to do the more extensive surgery.  Fortunately the node came back negative, so nothing more than a selective.  They cleared out some scar tissue and pulled the rest of the nodes in levels II,III and IV.

    They did compress some nerves so there was some post op numbness in the area of my left ear and mandibular joint, but that has faded away.

    As to side effect, nothing all that great, stretching exercises post op keeps the scar from getting too tight, and there will be some lymphedema in the first few weeks post op, but here I am 18 months later and am back to normal

     

  • hope3210
    hope3210 Member Posts: 27
    #9
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    JC F said:

    Neck dissection...

    I was also wondering about this. Finished tx of 35 rads and 3 cisplatins on Aug.20 for BOT. Was told from the get-go that I might need dissection after tx because the lymph node involvement on the right side was quite large. The lump was fairly large and visible before tx and seems to have gone done after tx but is still large and visible. They will check in a few weeks but I've resigned myself that I will probably need the surgery. How long do they usually wait between end of tx and neck dissection? Are there many side-effects from dissection? Time of recovery? Is it considered "radical" if just on one side? Thanks for any info...

    Hi JC F,
     
    I think your case

    Hi JC F,

     

    I think your case and my dad's case is almost same,He tood had 70GY of radiation in 35 fraction and 2 cycles of chemo and 5 cycle of MAB.The last radiation was 7th aug 2014.After 12  days the doctor had one pet,he told he might need surgury as lymph nodes are still there.I am very much scared of these things.on september 10th we have one ENT examination of throat then only they will decide what to do.

     

    Thanks

  • hope3210
    hope3210 Member Posts: 27
    #10
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    hope3210 said:

    Hi JC F,
     
    I think your case

    Hi JC F,

     

    I think your case and my dad's case is almost same,He tood had 70GY of radiation in 35 fraction and 2 cycles of chemo and 5 cycle of MAB.The last radiation was 7th aug 2014.After 12  days the doctor had one pet,he told he might need surgury as lymph nodes are still there.I am very much scared of these things.on september 10th we have one ENT examination of throat then only they will decide what to do.

     

    Thanks

    Thank you all for your kind

    Thank you all for your kind replies and support in this tragedy time.We have a ENT examination on september 10th hope everything come fine.

  • ahollie
    ahollie Member Posts: 84
    #11
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    hope3210 said:

    Thank you all for your kind

    Thank you all for your kind replies and support in this tragedy time.We have a ENT examination on september 10th hope everything come fine.

    dont worry!!

    My hunny had the same thing happen..he still had the mass on his lymph gland and the oncologist did an early scan and wanted him to get more chemo..so we did a round of eributix and then he wanted him to have the surgery and when i poste don these boards everyone suggested a second opinion ...so we went to a different dr who specialized inthis specific cancer...and he told us the scan was still too ealry..so we waited 6 more weeks and he had another scan and the mass was totally gone and the gland was back to normal..he is cancer free! the dr told us it takes your body time to heal and get healthy enough to absorb it back into your system and get rid of it...the ent had been concerned but also told us it was awful early to decide also!! keep the faith!

  • hope3210
    hope3210 Member Posts: 27
    #12
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    ahollie said:

    dont worry!!

    My hunny had the same thing happen..he still had the mass on his lymph gland and the oncologist did an early scan and wanted him to get more chemo..so we did a round of eributix and then he wanted him to have the surgery and when i poste don these boards everyone suggested a second opinion ...so we went to a different dr who specialized inthis specific cancer...and he told us the scan was still too ealry..so we waited 6 more weeks and he had another scan and the mass was totally gone and the gland was back to normal..he is cancer free! the dr told us it takes your body time to heal and get healthy enough to absorb it back into your system and get rid of it...the ent had been concerned but also told us it was awful early to decide also!! keep the faith!

    Thank you Aholi,
     
    Really i

    Thank you Aholi,

     

    Really i can say these positive words of yours and other members of this board is helping us to have faith and keep going in this tough time.

    Thank you very much for your reply.I also contacted a second ENT onocology specialist he also told we have to wait atleast 2 and half month before taking the PET.

    anyway we have one ENT examination on 10th september lets see what result we are getting.One thing is worrying me is my father is having pain in his throat even after 4 weeks of radiation.

     

    Thanks

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