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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for January 2018

No saliva
Hi everyone ive been reading all the topics and keep hopeing I could give some helpful advice,buti seems like I am dumbfounded.I am one year post treatment all my scans have come back NED.What im wondering has anyone had a problem with saliva not comeing back or taste buds.I never have got hungry.I live on Boost and…
Worried about PET scan next week
Had my first follow up with the ENT today and he said everything looked ok but depending on the out come of the scan whether I would have to have more treatment, specifically a neck dissection. I had already thought of this but now I'm so worried and can't get it out of my mind. I think he said even if it lit up a little…
BLENDED FOOD FIELD REPORT
Hey guys, for all of you folks out there who are tube feeders, or blended food eaters, it's time for a field report on a new (to me) line of blended food, which I believe that I heard about on WebWhispers, and happily, like a lot. REALFOOD BLENDS, Meals For Tube-Fed People is a company that has created packages of complete…
Husband not eating...very worried
My husband finished his last Cisplatin chemo on 1/16 and his last radiation on 1/23. He does not have a feeding tube. It has been two weeks since he has had anything to eat. No Ensure, nothing. He is barely able to even swallow water so he goes every day for two hours of IV fluids. He continues to lose weight. He’s on…
Partial remission NPC
Hi, previously this week I asked a question in regard to my husband 3 months post treatment CT Scan. He is scheduled also for an MRI and a PET scan mid february by then it will be 4 months since last radiation. thanks to a reply I got the term partial remission out of the discussion, so thank you. We were both surprise to…
After Treatment
I am 8 weeks post treatment HPV stage 4 base of the tongue and 4 lymph nodes 3 left side neck 1 right side. 42 radiation treatments, 6 cisplatin over a 6 week period. I did well with treatment losing 10 lbs and no severe burns. As expected, I lost saliva glands and the hair from my beard and neck. I also have the…
Tonsil/throat cancer, HPV positive with trach and gtube going in
I wanted to start this blog because it seems my bf is in a small group of people who start treatment with a trach and gtube already. He has been having difficulty swallowing and breathing for a few months. Even thought he was encouraged to go get it checked out, he was between jobs and had no healt insurance. He was having…
Two week post treatment encouragement
I hope this encourages some of you that are just getting diagnosed, started with treatment, or in the midst. My husband is two weeks post treatment for SCC tonsil, HPV+ Stage IV cancer. He had a neck dissection and tonsillectomy followed by seven weeks of radiation and seven Cisplatin treatments. He is in his early…
Grade 1 Osteoradionecrosis
Dear all, I waa treated for right tonsil SSC. May las radiotherapy was on July 2016. Today,I had a denist appointment. They found out that small piece of my upper jaw bone is eposed( here is no gum soft tissue to cover my bone. They mnrion about oseoradionecrosis. I am woiying abou it. They will check me gain in 3 mo…
Question about remission, etc
hi, new to the board. My husband has nasopharyngeal cancer with lymph nodes metastasis and Epstein Barr Virus markers. He received 35 rt and 5 cisplatin, the 6th had to be cancelled due to febrile neutropenia. He finished his treatment in late october and was told that he was in remission for the next 2 years. Since he did…
Mouth sores two months after chemo/radiation
I finished my 45 radiations and 4 treatments of chemo two months ago. I had squamous cell cancer in my mouth. This is my second time 11 years later. Problem is I now have a mouth sore in same spot? I have no saliva at this point so wondering if it is thrush or if cancer could come back in less than 2 months?? Or dry mouth…
Tonsil cancer/ melanoma
Hi my husband was just released today from the hospital after having a neck dissection. Lets start from the beginning. Almost a year ago my husband had a swollen lymp node on his right side of neck. He said it would get big and be sore then get smaller. Since it would only bother him every now and then, never had it…
Bell's Palsy symptoms after surgery, biopsy
Hello all - Has anyone had Bell's Palsy symptoms after any surgery or biopsy? I had a biopsy done a few wks ago and I believe swelling or other? may have caused the symptoms that I am experiencing - numbness on the one side - mouth, chewing, spitting, eyelid won't close on own, very sore, dry eyes. Gave me 10 days…
Peg Tube Question
My husband has finished 3 rounds of Cisplatin Chemo and has two more rads. He doesn’t have a peg tube. He is barely eating. He’s probably getting less than 500 calories a day. I’m extremely worried. Even though he’s at the end of his treatment can he still get a feeding tube?
Possible Tongue Cancer
Hi everyone. I have been having strange symptoms. My tongue, inside of my cheeks and roof of my mouth are red all swollen. The papillae on my tonge are raised and red. My mouth burns everytime I eat something. The burning intensifies with hot foods, minty toothpaste and minty gum. I feel as though something is caught at…
Hearing loss
It has been 5 months since my last treatment (35 rad with 2 chemo) for HPV tonsil and tongue.. I cannot hear highpitched sounds and voices are muffled. Background noises seem to be louder than ever. My ENT says my hearing loss is due to my age, 62, and not my treatments. He thinks it is a coincedence that I am noticing it…
Advice needed for pain during recovery
My husband completed his treatment (35 radiation and 6/7 Cetuximab) for SSC BOT HPV+ on November 21. At week 8 of his recovery he started experiencing sensitivity in his skin on his upper body, including the top of his head. He does not have a rash or anything visible. He’s really tired and cold. He was doing great with…
How Are Your Teeth?
Took my last (lower dose) 25th radiation treatment on April 5th, 2012. Because of a gum disease problem in the early '90's I've gotten into the habit of flossing my teeth and doing everything the dentist tells me to do. I was told back then that all my teeth would be gone by age 50 if I didnt' get gum surgery. (I didn't)…
Scared and waiting please help
Hello, My name is Shane. I'm 30 and literally terrified on a daily basis. I'm literally always finding something wrong with myself and after a quick Google, headed to the doctor thinking the worst. ...this time is a bit different. I've been having this odd feeling every time I swallow, like something is in my throat.…
Post Cancer Treatment PET scan and follow-up scare.
I'm a 47-year old male that was diagnosed with SCC BOT HPV+ with neck lymph-node involvement back in June of 2017. Other than the cancer diagnosis I was in excellent health. No prescriptions, no ailments and live an active lifestyle. I completed my treatment in Sept. of 2017. Treatment consisted of 35 daily radiation…
Low Grade Fever
I am not even sure this is related to my cancer treatments or not. But ever since I had cancer, surgery, and radiation (lower dose), whenever I over exert myself I end up with a fever of 99º. Not very high but it keeps me down for the day. Today is one of those days after doing tree trimming for two days straight. Does…
Nausea
Hi everyone... Hope everyone is doing well ! I have a wquestion about radiation treatments and nausea. I am on #13 of a total of 30 treatments. Almost immediately I started to feel some nausea. When I have brought this up to my radiation doctor ,he says radiation does not cause nausea only chemo ( I am not doing chemo) so…
Xylimelts for dry mouth
Has anyone used these and if so do they help?
Hair shaved off
Hello, I am new as of today. I have had tongue cancer. My radiation and chemo was completed the end of october. I am recovering from the side effects including hair loss. I went and had my hair cut short but now my question is should I take it to the scalp look. Will this make my hair grow back thicker and faster? Also…
To all the caregivers out there ...
How do you deal with a stubborn spouse? My husband has completed 28 of 35 radiation treatments. He’s in extreme pain but refuses to take any pain meds because he’s worried he’ll get constipated. He’s barely getting any Ensure in, maybe two a day. Not nearly enough water. When I tell him he’s being foolish and stubborn he…
One Year on...
It's a year since I had "that feeling" that something just wasn't right. Almost a year since I insisted on an US and scans, and come February 17, it'll be a year since I was told "you have cancer" So here I am, 7 weeks of radiation, 2 cisplatins, (couldn't do 3) a modified radiacal neck disection later.. oh and 110 pounds,…
Partial glossectomy
Hello everyone, I am new to this but I can use some advice. Two years ago my mom was diagnose with stage 2 floor of the mouth cancer. She underwent surgery in September of 2015 with a flap and neck resection around April or may she found out that the cancer had returned in stage 4. She then decides not to do surgery and…
Cisplatin Chemo Question
My husbands treatment plan for BOT HPV+ cancer has been 35 radiation treatments and 3 chemo treatments once every 3 weeks. He has 8 more radiation treatments and is scheduled for his 3rd chemo on 1/16. We’ve heard that some patients opt out of the 3rd treatment. The doctor also mentioned that some people can’t tolerate the…
lymphedema serendipity
I have been experimenting with ways to treat my jaw and neck lymphedema, and may have stumbled on to something. I have been sporadically applying various skin moisturizers to the area of my neck skin that got toasted by the radiation, and wearing a variety of heavy scarfs to keep my whole neck warm. I happened to have an…
Father - New Floor of Mouth SCC diagnosis
Hello everyone, I'm new here. My father was just diagnosed last week with a Stage 4 floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma that has spread to lymph nodes (6.1cm tumor). We have been going through a whirlwind of appointments over the past week. The good news is that the cancer has not spread anywhere else in the body, the…

Head and Neck Cancer

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