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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for December 2017

Thank you to all who post!
i posted for the first time this spring when I was frantically searching for a place I could read through other people’s experiences with H and N cancer. My husband was diagnosed with stage iv HPV + Tongue-based cancer on feb 17. He had robotic surgery one week after finding out he had cancer. He did 30 treatments of…
Holidays and not eating depressing
I am about six weeks out and still basically only consuming liquids with the ocassional can of pureed Campbell's soup but beweteen the crappy winter weather and not being able to enjoy eating a good meal life is getting very depressing right now. Had to give up my annual FL Christmas vaction this year and the euphoria of…
Ways to stay full when on liquid diet?
I'm only on tube feeds, I do 5 8oz osmolite a day. I've been having an issue with getting hungry too often. I'll eat then 3 hours later I'm hungry again and I can hardly stand to go all night without something, I wake up at 4am super starved. Before when I ate normal I could eat dinner at 6 and not even eat till 10-11 the…
Head & Neck SCC 2 1/2 weeks post treatment
Hello, My Husband is 2 1/2 weeks post treatment for H&N squamous cell carcinoma hpv+, right side of his neck stage-4, 5 lymph nodes involved, no known primary. Treatment consisted of: 35 IMRT radiation treatment, 1 Treatment of Cisplatin, treatment had to be changed to Carboplatin and Taxol, total 3 treatments, and pain…
Heartburn 5 months post-treatment
I finished 35 rounds of radiation and 2 doses of Cisplatin on August 1st for HPV+ SSC tonsil cancer stage 4. A couple of days ago I started to experience constant heartburn symptoms. Has anyone else had this experience? I am scheduled for an MRI on January 14th and am thinking of asking my oncologist to include a scan of…
throat cancer
My dad was diagnosed with throat cancer and done 30 radiation treatments it was on both vocal cords. After the treatments the dr said it was gone and he would start to heal in a few months. well one side healed up fine the other side has not he said he fill a knot in his throat now and has coughing fits also. the Dr said…
Skull bone tumour - extreme dizziness
Hello all - I wonder if there is anyone on this site that has been diagnosed with a tumour in the skull bone. I have CRC with liver mets and currently post on the CRC site. I am having a biopsy on a skull bone tumour that I have in behind my ear. It was diagnosed through a brain scan due to feeling a little off balance.…
Newbie Here
My husband was diagnosed with throat cancer the end of October. He wi start his 4th week of radiation and his 2nd chemo tomorrow. He has a lot of mouth pain but hasn’t started pain meds yet. We will ask for those tomorow. How much worse can I expect his pain to get over the next four weeks? And should I expect he’all need…
Merry Christmas / Thank you / Update
Hi, just wanted to say Merry Christmas and a big thank you to you all! My husband is 6 weeks post treatment (HPV+ BOT SCC Stage IVa treated with 35 radiations and 8 Erbitux. No PEG) and is doing pretty well. This site was VERY VERY helpful in regards to reading about other people's experiences, tips, suggestions, etc.…
POST CHEMO/RADIATION-sex drive in men
I'm just going to boldly throw this out there. My husband and I had a healthy sex life before 17 weeks of chemo and 35 days of radiation to the head and neck. He sees an endocronologist and is taking Clomiphine as it tells the brain to produce testestrone. It has increased his testosterone levels to the 400s, but he still…
Love & Joy come to you~~~~~~~
To each and every one of you, Whether you're just starting on your journey, or, like me, are an oldtimer, I just want to say Merry Christmas and the very Best in 2018. I am starting on my 6th year of freedom from the beast, it was rough, as I know it is for you. But, it can be beaten, and you will, maybe not be the same,…
Hypothyroidism
Hello Survivors! Dennis is slightly past one year from the end of his powerful chemo(s) and 35 radiations to his head and neck area. He has done darn well post treatment, but there are some bothersome residuals. The thyroid seems to be increasing each time he has blood work, but he has not hit the number where the…
Slight swelling externally to throat/clavicle post treatment?
I'm 3-months post treatment for SCC BOT HPV+ Stage 3. Other than dry mouth and some slight fatigue, I'm doing really well and pretty much back to normal. That said, over the last week I've noticed a fullness or swelling externally to underneath my chin and down my throat - extending to the top of my clavicle. It is not…
Anyone had SSC of the mandible with surgery and radiation that can share their experience with radia
Hi... I am new to this forum and very grateful I found it ! Such wonderful people and the wealth of information is truely a blessing to anyone facing HNC. I found out I had SSC of the mandible in Sept. this year. A mandiblectomy at the end of October and another surgery the first of November because the margins weren't…
The C: Section Chronicles - Last one of 2017
The C: Section Chronicles - Last one of 2017 This year has certainly been rough, but not the roughest I have had. It is 8 months to the day of my LDOT (Last day of treatment), and while I have tried to keep a positive outlook on it all I have come to the realisation that life is on a very slender thread. We don't know…
tongue cancer
Hello, I am new here and just received a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue. It is underneath my tongue on the left side and the pathology report said it is superficially invasive. It is a T1N0 as my ct scan of my neck was normal. My ENT says that nothing more needs to be done except a wait and watch…
Sharp pain in ears when eating and drinking
This is my first post. Thanks for allowing me to join the group. I’m five weeks post treatment for BOT cancer. HPV+. I’m slowly beginning to eat and drink again but I get a stabbing pain in my ears whenever I take a bite or drink anything. I had my 30 day follow up with ENT yesterday. He said I was radiated and there was…
Tumor left tonsil
My experience started a year ago with a lump on left side of neck with swelling. A CT was done and subsequently referred to ENT. Biopsy was negative but ENT treated with antibiotics and swelling went away but still a small lump and a very slight sore throat. ENT not satisfied and wanted a 6 months checkup. Another scan and…
Fungating Tumors
Anyone dealing with these types of tumors? I have searched the boards but didn't find much information. My husband had surgery for oral cancer of the inside of his cheek as well as a neck disection. After some mis-diagnosis about what the pockets of fluid were along the outside of his cheek, if was determined to be more…
SEcond time around tonsil cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer
In 2010 I had a late stage SCC of the tonsil with mets in the neck. I was successfully treated with chemo radiation (65 grays over 6 weeks) and after had neck dissection of Right hand side. I had a second cancer diagnosed this year with SCC in the parapharyngeal space, the GPs really let me down and did nothing quickly…
Seven Years!
Hi, Just received the results from the latest PET/CT scan and it's an all clear. This puts me at 7 1/2 years post treatment for BOT stage 4, treatment was 35 rads with 3 cisplatin doses in 2010. Hoping this will give encouragement to those just starting down this pathway. Yes, treatment is rough, for sure. But it is…
Considering sucked
Tongue cancer
I am interested in what treatments were done and in what order? What was the outcome?
2.5 yrs out and experiencing side effects
Proton Beam, Cisplatin, and Spindle Cells: A Treatment Diary
Hi all, Boy, it's been a bit of journey since my last forum post. I am happy to say I am now 1 week into treatment, and finally feeling well enough to post and update. Here's a quick recap of my story for those of you who haven't read the previous posts: 29yo; Feb of 2017 I had an extremely small superficial SCC lesion…
Number of PET scans
Hi, I thought of doing a poll on the number of PET scans you had. I think its important in early post-treatment time, and should reduce as time progresses. Although, the management of it seems divided. Some do it only when another scan cannot decisively confirm the presence/absence of tumour. Here's the data if the…
Completed 4th year H&N
i have completed the 4 year mark. I only have 2 6 monthly check ups .....the the doc says he won’t need to see me again after that.
Old fashioned sick
I THINK I have one heck of a cold. Called one of my drs. yesterday and a nurse told me that my symptoms are from radiation (which ended months ago). Waked today with 101.4 trmp and a bad sore throat that feels very swollen, have slept most of the day and my nose runs and runs.Does anyone remember a time like this? I'm…
Severe Trimus
For some background here... I had throat cancer in 2012 with 4 rounds of 24/7 chemo and 35 rounds of radiation. I recovered pretty well and was fine until 2014 when it retured with the tumer being higher in my throat, this was follwed by 6 rounds of chemo and 33 rounds of radiation. This is where things really fell apart.…
Perineural Tumor
Does anyone have any knowledge of perineural tumor in the inferior alveolar nerve? Please share treatment options. Husband is 18 months post diagnosis of Stage 4a SCC with primary in buccal mucosa. Latest scans show concern in the nerve but no lymph nodes. I know every patient is different but was hoping to get a general…

Head and Neck Cancer

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