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Head and Neck Cancer

Just Diagnosed Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Neck with unknown primary
A loved one was just diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Neck with unknown primary. The path report states loose fragments of poorly differentiated malignant epithelial cells with enlarged hyperchromatic irregular nuclei and apoptosis are seen in a hemorragic background that includes few scattered atypical…
help with eating
I have only 6 rads to go and two chemo, but am able to eat things and swallow fine. I need help please making things palatable. I can taste all of the components of whatever i am eating but something is still missing that makes swallowing the food difficult. Is it just the lack of saltiness or sweetness? I try anything…
Ranting
My husband uses fentanyl patches as part of his pain management. It is very difficult to find these patches. Corporate drug stores explain either that their management has decided not to carry these patches or that they carry a minimal number. We've found some success at small owner-operated pharmacies but the script can…
Dry Eyes
No that's NOT a typo...dry mouth is common I know...but dry eyes? Anyone else have problems with this following chemoradiation or chemotherapy for head and neck? We just came back from the ophthomologist with artificial tears, an ointment and a spray because my husbands lacrimal glands are no longer working. We have a…
Has anyone taken cetuximab?
Hello, I'm Mark I had a tumor removed from the lower ride side of my tonge in June, followed by a neck dissection in July. Now I am about to start chemo and radiation treatments. As I only have one kidey and my numbers arean't that great, my doctors decided that the standard chemo drugs would be too hard on my kidney.…
biopsy results came back positive for cancer/recurrance
one year out after treatement for tonsil cancer stage 3 with 1 lymph node/ readiation, no chemo, my mom is facing recurrance in her tongue. it is on the side of her tongue not base, hopefully of course since we did not have any scans yet, her last pet scan was a at the beginning of June and it came up clear although she…
IMPT vs IMRT (rotating)
I recently began reading about IMPT vs IMRT. IMRT seems to be the conventional method for NPC treatment, but IMPT claims superior targeting therefore, less damage to adjacent organs. Has anyone had IMPT and good success stories? IMPT being new technology is only available in select locations. thanks for your input! If all…
neck dissection lymph node lit up post chemradiation
Hi, I haven't posted here before but have been reading them since my boyfriend was diagnosed with NPC stage3 last August. His 6 month post treatement PET scan had 2 lymph nodes lit up, they were subcentimeter size with moderate SUV value, the highest one is 4.6. They were the two largest nodes at inital diagnosis. He just…
pain in my jaw bone
Hi. I have a question please.. im 17 months out of treatment for stage 3 throat cancer hpv neg. In the last week I have been experiencing dull aches in both sides of my jaw, is this just another late side effect. I find myself worrying over even the littlest things i guess. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Reactions to CT contrast medium Omnipaque?
Hello fellow survivors, I am writing with some good news. I had a suspicious area on my neck and went through a CT scan with contrast dye last Wednesday and all is normal except for the surgery and radiation damage (fibrosis). Nearing the critical 2 year mark end of Dec. Wondering I anyone has had side effects from the…
realization
I have come to learn, here as my treatment nears its end, that my "success" has probably been an exercise in futility. Just now researching my exact type cancer ( stage IV squamous cell supraglittic cancer) that I have a "rare" form of cancer that is rarely survived, and most likely, when my radiation and chemo is…
NED
I must confess, I have a crush on NED. I would like this to be an ongoing relationship and my husband is fine with it. NED! Today was the third time those magic words were pronounced after the ENT finished a scoping. Nine months out of treatment and No Evidence of Disease! Thank you to all of you who have offered advice,…
Climbing the wall night
That time of the year for me, chest scan tomorrow for the lung cancer they removed in 2012. Climbing the walls tonight already, you never get used to nervous battle before a scan. scan at 8am meeting with lung onc 9am. Denis
Radiation Fatigue?
I'm 8 weeks out from radiation. Can I still be having radiation fatigue? One day strong, next day weak. Also with severe dry mouth. Seems to have gotten worse in the last few weeks. I'm on Pilocarpine. Does this take time to work ?. I've been on it for two weeks doesn't seem to do a thing. Really dry as a dessert and…
2 months post treatment--new issues
Two questions for my fellow survivors: 1. Pain--I completed 35 radiation treatments along with chemo (cisplatin) for tongue cancer almost two months ago. My pain was bad in the beginning but then as the tumor shrunk, the pain was well controlled with a fentanyl patch. Within the past two weeks, the pain has gotten worse…
Two steps forward one step back
Trying to put on my big girl pants and remember that my husband and I are running a marathon here, not a sprint. I was (unrealistically) hoping that each day would be a little better, but have come to realize that it's a forward and back shuffle and that the important thing is to try and go in that positive direction.…
Im a little confused.
I was diagnosied with stage 4a tonsil cancer with two lymph nodes locally. I did 7 cisplatin and 39 rads. The confusing part is I came out of it almost damage free. I did have a burn around my neck which lasted about a week. I have some thick mucus but not like some are talking about and my mouth is a little dry. However…
Tube feeding required because of swallowing issues durning and after treatments
Many times folks going through treatments with radiation and chemo will experience swallowing issues and have to have a feeding tube placed. This helped me back in the early 90's when I went through my treatments allowing me to get needed nutrition. It is again assisting me now tgat the treatments I had way back when has…
prognosis
If you are diagnosed with cancer its only natural that you would want to find out what is likely to happen to you. I also read many places to stay off the internet because you'll only be misinformed because every person is different and every cancer is different and looking on the internet will tend to make things look…
To everyone fighting or received bad news, remember this. We will be your bridge.....
To all the ones fighting the beast please take the time to listen to this song. [Sorry about the add] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrcwRt6J32o Then remember you are not ever alone in this, you have the greatest support group I have ever known. This just might give this song a new meaning to you. It did for me. When your…
appreciation
I want to thank everyone again for all the advice, support and information in this community. I am not good at responding to each comment but my appreciation is genuine and sincere. I am now in my last 2 weeks of radiation, with my last treatment and last chemo scheduled for Sept 29. So far, in comparison to some of the…
Just joined today - but diagnosed Aug 2014 and now cancer-free!
Not sure why I never got around to joining early on - but I've been reading here the past year. All the details are in my about-me page - but in a nutshell - I was diagnosed at age 45 with SSC/Base of Tongue - HPV Neg - I had seven weeks of Cisplatin and radiation and ultimately a conservative neck dissection. I had a Peg…
5 years Friday
Hi all: Thought I'd better check and see what's happening. This past Friday 8/21 was 5 years since Charlie passed away. It sure doesn't seem like that. I spent the day with the "boys" and I always reread all the cards; play the videos that were made, and listen to Steve (brother-in-law) and my parts we did at his service.…
Olfactory neuroblastoma in the maxillary sinus - recent diagnosis
I was diagnosed with this cancer 11/25/08. The only sympton I experienced was that I had begun getting teeth pain in the upper left side for quite a few months. I was told to take a decongestant to aleviate the pain. The dentist just thought is was allergies causing sinus pressure to press on my teeth nerves. That worked…
cisplatin and kidney dysfunction
Went for my second cisplatin chemo session for SCC of tonsil today (radiation concurrent) but was told that my kidney function had deteriorated since my first session a week ago. They hydrated me and said my MD would call tomorror with recommendation. Has anyone seen cisplatin cause dysfunction after only one session and…
dry mouth
New on this forum, just signed up today. My treatments ended mid October last year for stage 4 base of tongue SCC. ( 35 Rad W/ Cisplatin Chemo). I still have minor swallowing difficulties at times and dry mouth. I do take pilocarpine and it seems to help a little. Can anyone out there tell me if your salivary glands come…
UPDATE: Blood in Phlegm
Hi All, Hubby is almost one year post tx. One side effect of his treatment has been throat clearing... constant throat clearing. They said they burned his cilia off in his trachea with the IMRT and that's why he can't clear phlegm normally. Anyway, he was clearing it out tonight as usual but it had blood streaks in it!…
My friend is in Denial!
Hi all, I'm so happy I discovered this resource. I'm here because of my best friend W, that I have known for over 40 years. She's a life long smoker, born of two smokers who both died of cancer. On a side note, my mother currently has cancer, but she is doing well. I joined this forum because I need support due to my…
Where to get treatment?
I have a parotid gland tumor that is growing into my lymph nodes. Also some spots on my lungs. Had EBUS procedure on Friday and waiting for results. Drs. Say parotid gland is primary and want to do radiation and chemo but nothing will happen until pathology from EBUS comes back. The waiting is so Frustrating! how long…
Wheat grass to help after chemo
My sister just told me that cancer survivor friends of hers said wheat grass is a great for helping flush through the chemo. Has anyone else tried this and had good, or not so good results? I am finding the chemo to take more out of me than the radiation; just had second chemo at midpoint of my 7 week radiation.

Head and Neck Cancer

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