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Head and Neck Cancer

lymphedema therapy
My insurance pays for lymphedema therapy but I have to miss work to go. It doesn't seem to be too effective plus I can do exercises by myself and I have a compression device. How long would you contunue to go to lymphedema therapy?
Surgeon recommendation
My 39-year old husband has received a preliminary diagnosis of a carotid tumor and will receive the results and final diagnosis next week. I am looking for surgeon recommendations because I'd like to be prepared if his ENT wants to discuss scheduling surgery. I've seen mixed feedback about whether vascular surgeons, ENTs…
T1b of glottic
Hello, My father was daignosed with T1b cancer of glottic. He was daignosed with biopsy of vocal cord in Mar'15. As per staging he was asked for radical radiotherapy for 6 1\2 week for 5 days a week with cobalt -60. He underwent radiotherapy with few diificulties like swallowing, skin rashes. After radiotherapy his voice…
Any regrets?
Sounds like a stupid question if you receive the news you wish to hear at the end of your treatment. Did/do any of you regret the decision for the course of treatment you ahave received. As I stated in my other post, my husband has just begun this hellish ride and has already commented that he thinks the cure is worse than…
What to expect with SCC excision on lateral tongue
I was recently diagnosed with SCC of the right lateral tongue. I was one of those rare cases in which lichen planus turns to cancer. I will be undergoing surgery next Friday at Moffitt Cancer Center. Although pain is not something that particularly bothers me, there seems to be a recurrent theme of "pain" in relation to…
RayTodd ~ Update - Ray has passed
I'n sure a few of you remember Ray Todd, from Down Under... I have received word through FaceBook, that Ray is on his final journey before leaving earth. He is resting comfortably and preparing for his final bike ride. Please keep Ray and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this time. I will miss you ole man...…
Squamous cell carcinoma of right tonsil
Found out that I have this just a few weeks ago. Still in the stages of setting things up as far as surgery and such. Said that I am a P16 positive. Apparantly that is a good thing according to them. Found a mass at the base of my tongue and apparrantly towards the right tonsil. Also a theyroid gland is a bit enlarged in…
SCC tonsil
I was just diagnosed with SCC (HPV+) of the tonsil including 3 lymph nodes. I had the tonsil (clear margins) and nodes removed surgically, have met with a radiation onc and will meet with a medical onc next week. Though my surgeon thinks that rads only will be needed after surgery, the onc docs will I'm sure advise for…
NED!
hello everyone, just wanted to share the good news. We saw the ENT and the oncologist this week and we hear the sweet words: no evidence of disease. It is amazing to think that 6 months have passed since Dmitri finished treatment. He is doing really well. Of course he deals with some issues but overall he is doing great.…
Need break please
Spent great week at lake but when home got sick. Struggled five days and soon to be two weeks between Icu and step down. Cellulitis of breast. Not cancer related. Doing dry vac or maybe mastectomy to close.battling very low blood pressure and c diff. Just drained.
New guy here, with a question.
Hello fellow travelers, I am in remission from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (ssc), since 9/12. Have had neck and tongue muscle spasms ever since then which ive pretty much learned to deal with, they still suck but ive learned to deal with them. Recently i've had a sore throat. Not your basic "sore throat" this is like having…
New Article
Encouraging news on the PD-1 front. But, the FDA continues to have their head stuck up their collective butts. You still can't treat SCC in the lungs that started in the H&N. If it started in the lungs, your good to go. Crazy huh? Be safe and happy, Joe…
A year ago
Today was the anniversary of the day we got the diagnosis. I can still remember what a scary, overwhelming and completely horrible day it was. All the unknowns, all the fears, all the worries, everything. The road to recovery was not easy for us. Dima's cancer was advanced and he ended up in the hospital after each of the…
update and questions.
Okay, I am in 20th day of radiation now and just hit the no taste barrier. I can still swallow, with water, so I still eat some things but take 4 cans jevity a day. Just barely maintaining weight, but as long as they are good with it, so am I. I don't really have any sores in my mouth and still manage to swallow, so what…
No more adjuvant
We've booked a bed in the hospital for the last 2 days and will be here at least through the weekend. We just couldn't manage the side effects of pain, dehydration, and vomiting at home. These side effects are from the 1st of 3 planned rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy with Cisplatin and 5FU. All along my husband has been on…
Survivor Hope
Hi, I am the wife of a Head and Neck survivor. Just wanted to give all of you a little hope. Nine years ago today my husband was diagnosed with with stage 4 pharyngeal cancer. All I could find about it was that he would only live maybe 12 months. Well here we are 9 years later and he is still here. Treatment was tough but…
anyone ever not eat or use pegtube because they are mad at wife?
Ok I never have liked airing dirty laundry but this is life or death so here goes. My husband Robert diagnosed first part of June tonsil and neck and 3 lymph nodes involved. Well Robert never has been a big eater and he weighed 129 lbs and 5 11. They put tube in before treatment started. He had reaction to first chemo but…
Recovery
So mom is in her last week. She has 4 days of treatment left. Her throat is so raw and tight she is having trouble getting anything at all down. She's using magic mouthwash but it's not helping a whole lot becuase her throat is so tight. After treatment ends, how long does this last on average? Does the throat ever loosen?…
Worrying
Fr
Hello Again
At some point, I just got too busy to keep up with the forum. As with everything else, I needed to tell myself to make time, as this site was so helpful to us when we really needed it. Doug might come on and update for himself, but the short form of the news is: he's finally joined the low-thyroid club. The GP called today…
Searing, stabbing mucositis?
Since starting the adjuvant chemo with Cisplatin and 5-FU over a 4 days span the pain from mucositis seems different in nature from the radiation treatments and Cisplatin. Words my husband has used to help describe it are burning, searing, stabbing, granular. It seems to be more localized - especially up behind the palate,…
Dry Mouth
I feel like I'm going backwards in a sense. I completed radiation 7 weeks ago to the day. Seems my salivary function was better during treatment and up to a few weeks ago. It just seems like they shut down over the last few weeks. I thought after treatment I would only have one way to go, that was to only improve. Getting…
Gelclair for mucositis
Just wanted to mention one more option for oral mucositis.... Gelclair. Here is the info from their website. www.gelclair.com Barbara
Hey kids.....guess what time it is!?!
Yes....it's ceiling fan time....again. I'm doing better this time, I think....I didn't start getting worried until last Friday...and the scan is day after tomorrow....so, that means I didn't climb up here for a two week stay, just a few days. As always, I'd appreciate the prayers, good mojo, crossing digits....anything…
Scc in Gums
Im 22 years old. Diagnosed with SCC in my gums. Doctors did surgery and i was doing pretty great. They couldn't decide if it was stage 2 or 3. Recommended radiation But didnt require it. I started radiation but since i started getting symptoms of chemo patients the doctor said that was very unusual not normal. I want to…
Financial milestone!
As many of you know, I started my journey of fighting cancer with NO insurance. My employer keeps us under a certain # of hours as not to have to offer benefits. My husband is self employed so we honestly could not afford the premiums when this all started back in December 2013. I had to fight like crazy to get ANY…
Neck support and elevation while sleeping?
For the last month and a half my husband has been sleeping in a recliner to help with the mucositis. I bought him one of those airline neck pillows to help stabilize his head and neck but he still wakes up with a fairly stiff and uncomfortable neck from it falling forward or to the side as he sleeps. Can anyone recommend…
Interesting article on recurrence
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/more-patients-are-hearing-words-you-have-cancer-again-n414846 j.
Trials and how to choose
Hello everyone, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with choosing a trial for mets ? I'm on a national waiting list for any matches for my specific tumor type. But of as today none have been found. I was given a name at the Mayo here in Minnesota that I will be checking out. (trial specific for rare cancers but not…
Tonsil biopsy
Hi, I have a biopsy scheduled for late August for what the ent thinks is a regrown left tonsil but isn't quite positive. I was wondering if you could share your experience with having one? Everything that happened during and after? This will be an office procedure. Thanks.

Head and Neck Cancer

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