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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for July 2009

First Day of Chemo/Radiation
Good Morning Ya'll, My Husband starts his first treatment on Monday @ 10am. We are both just wondering what to expect for the first day/week. He will have Cisplatin first and then his radiation treatment. He has a tumor on his right tonsil with three lymph nodes involved. Also wondering what is typical during the…
coping with fear
Hello all I'm new to this board today. Abiut 1 year ago I was diagonised with throat and chest cancer...Im happy to say that on april my first pet scan came back clear. I thought that was the end of a long year of pain and depression. I lost 25 lbs,,and being only 140 lbs to start with, well now i look horrible...trying to…
Just Diagnosed
Hi all, Just been diagnosed, and am very alone & afraid. Hubby is saddened and angry. Two teens are in denial and scared. I just finished my early morning pity party (only time I am alone)and feel better. I have been thru all the testing and pray I am able to muster up the strength to accept and join the fight. Scheduled…
palate cancer
has anyone been diagnosed with palate cancer? I am newly diagnosed and know nothing about the procedures? how is surgery? does it always require chemo or radation? anyone with any info or help would be greatly appreciated!
Nutritional Supplement Help-Mouth, Neck Cancer
First time on here...and looking for some help for my dad. About a year ago he found out he had a tumor under his tongue. They removed the tumor and did a neck dissection to rebuild the floor of his mouth. The cancer came back and the second time around they placed a titanium plate with a few screws in the floor of his…
Will my husband become sterile from chemo/radiation treatments?
I am curious if this happens after the first chemo treatment or if this happens gradually after numerous treatments. Does it happen to everyone? We are done having children, but I am just curious.
Will the Dry mouth be permanent?
Hey Ya'll, My Husband has stage IV HNC right tonsil. We are getting ready to have 35 rad treatments with three cisplatin. He is curious at how many people have permanent salivary gland damange? Will the dry mouth be for the rest of his life or will some of it return. We are getting the PEG tube in before we start…
Hey Glenna, How's it going for you?
Hi Glenna, This is the third posting I have tried to send you, but somehow just when I get to the end, my fingers hit a wrong key and the whole thing deletes. I am keeping my fingers crossed this goes through. How are you doing anyway? You must be more than half way done since you started treatment a couple days before my…
My husband is half way done with radiation treatments
My husband has had 18 radiation treatments and 17 left. So far is is doing remarkable, I think. I know he might not think so since he is going through all this. And he has only 4 more Erbetux treatments......hurray!!! I just hope he can continue to eat. There is always the blender we can use too when necessary. The doctors…
Is there anyone here where radiation didn't work???
My husband began radiation this last week -- 2 sessions a day for 5 days (plus chemo) and the tumor appears to be GROWING not shrinking!!!! Anyone else ever deal with this adn if so then what did the docs do???
May choose not to do chemo.
My brother was diagnosed in June 2009, with Stage IV squamous cell carcinoma at the base of the tongue with lymph node involvement. Radiation oncologist recommended seeing a medical oncologist re: chemo, but my brother is reluctant. I've heard the combination of chemo and radiation is the best way to go. Any suggestions…
head and neck cancer
Hi al again! Have another question. My husband is three months post radition treatment to head and neck. He returned to work on June 8. He's feeling good and eating better; but off and on his voice sounds like it's dropped two octaves! It's not like he's hoarse and he doesn't have sore throat or scratchy throat or anything…
EAR PAIN
I FINISHED 33 RADIATION TREATMENTS TO THE TUMOR ON MY VOCAL CORD ON MARCH 31- THE EAR PAIN IS STILL AWFUL - DR SAID IT WAS REFERRED PAIN FROM MY THROAT- BUT ALMOST 4 MONTHS AND MY VOICE HAS NOT RETURNED- HAVE SOME THROAT PAIN AND THE EAR PAIN MOST OF THE TIME- ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCE THIS
What to expect squamous cell tongue cancer
My husband was diagnosed today with stage 4 squamous cell cancer of the tongue and it involves lymph nodes.Doctor suggest radiation 5 days a week for minumum of 7 weeks and chemo as well not sure how much or often on the chemo.The doctor told him he has a 50/50 chance of recovery, is this the norm? He suggested they could…
Did you feel the tumor?
For those of you who had tumors in he nasal area - did you actually feel it like a blockage? The one my husband had been operated on he did feel it and actually if you looked up his nose you could see the fleshy matter. It was operated on and removed, but now he feels it coming back again....a quick biopsy confirmed the…
always tired
im 42yrs old and i was just diagnosed with hnc on june 4th ,mostly my limp nodes ,have had 1 biopsy and having another aug 6th , my question is im always tired now and was never that way b4 , is it normal cause of the cancer or what? im a new to the site but have learned so much through other posts and members ,any info…
Finally got surgery date
We finally set a surgery date for my father next Wednesday at Cedars Sinai with the chief of Head and Neck surgery; however, even though we're happy that we finally got a date to get the tumor removed, the surgeon clearly warned us that he knows that the tumor will come back but doesn't know how long it will take (anywhere…
Update on treatment
10 RADS down 23 to go. Got real dry mouth and tongue starting to feel like I've burned it. So far the worst is that all the food taste's like Ceeee-Rap. I can't hardly stand to eat, but am trying to get what I can down, but am not hungry at all. Sure hope that this doesn't ruin food for ever. Mon. had real bad reaction to…
realistic expectations
I am just about to start radiation treatments for supragalotic cancer. I am not sure how many weeks of treatment but around 6. I teach at a university and am trying to plan around the treatments and side affects. I can either take the whole semester off or continue teaching but make arrangements for a few weeks of my…
Floor of the mouth cancer
I was wondering if anyone has had this. My mom had neck dissection surgery taking a bone from her leg to re-create the jaw, and skin from her thigh to re-create the floor of the mouth. She had so many complications after the surgery (she's 76 & 83 pounds) with infections, etc. it took 5 months to get back to surgeons and…
Are They Any Similar Experiences???
I just recently had my six month check-up by my medical oncologist. She tells me that she is moderately concerned about a scaly type growth on my left ear. As such, she refers me to a dermatologist. I meet with the skin doc last week. He tells me that he is not overly concerned about the ear issue for whatever reason. He…
Any Suggestions for the Mucous
My husbands main post tx. problem is the mucous As stated in another post it is slowly getting better. Is there anything to stop it or make it better. He is constantly gargling with the salt/soda water solution that helped the mouth sores. I thought some of you guys might have some suggestions to help it. Now it seems to…
chemo drugs alternatives?
i begin chemo and radiation on july 28. i am to be recieving a drug called cisplatin. any advise from anyone on how to get through this? also did anyone recieve any other drug than this that was effective. i am 46 and have stage 4 tonsil cancer which metastisized to a lymph node in my neck. i had the lymph node removed and…
Has anyone had squamous cell of the middle ear?
This is pretty rare and it's been a lonely journey. Hoping to find another survivor to share experiences with.
9 month check up- ENB
I am leaving on Sunday to go back to MDAnderson for my 9 month checkup. Im nervous, but confident it will be just fine. I find it comforting to type this for some reason.
PEG Tube 101 Use and Care
For those of you with questions about PEG tubes, you might find a 2008 post helpful. http://csn.cancer.org/node/156880 Cut and paste in your browser or just do a "Search" in the HNC board for "Peg Tube 101". Glad to offer more if needed, but this one is pretty detailed and my typically "verbose" presentation. Get…
Thanks for words of wisdom
I really appreciate your comments re my uncertainty of what my symptoms are from. I will try to not to stress too much although it's difficult to forget when you swallow every few seconds and always feel a lump sensation. Your kindness and info on this site is so inspiring. I will let you know how things go. Thanks again.…
Talking and eating
I was diagnosed in Feb. with throat cancer. I underwent 7 weeks of radiation(31 sessions)and 7 chemo sessions once a week. I decided against the feeding tube and have been able to swallow throughout the treatments. I am 7 weeks past my last radiation treatment, the mucous has subsided, I'm less tired and sleeping better…
how long after tx. can you eat again?
My husband is 2 weeks tomorrow post 7 wks rad and 2 rounds of chemo. Had primary at base of tongue very small and one lymph node (the one that enlarged on side of neck and took him to the dr. initially.)He has been using the peg tube solely for about 5 wks. My question is how long is normal for him not to be able to eat or…
looking for someone
hi there my dad was just diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. i was at a meeting this past thursday at the Arnold Palmer Paviion and was hopeing i could find the person that was singing and playing his guitar i know his name ...i was hoping he comes on this site and i could contact him here...sorry if this doesnt belong…

Head and Neck Cancer

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