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Head and Neck Cancer

Hello all! If you have questions about your insurance...
...I may be able to help. First, and most relevant, I have stage 4, HPV+ HNSCC. Been having a lot of fun with it, but haven’t really engaged in any forums about it. Ironically, it was a search for anything new I haven’t tried for the darned dry skin from the Erbitux that brought me here. One of the posts I saw memotioned…
First Pet san results after treatment.
So i saw my dr today who scoped me for the swelling they suspected in petscan results yesterday. Thanks God the swelling in the voice box was due to radition effect so the dr said it is not to worry about. As for the overall results, the dr said there is an improvement of more than 90% however it was not 100% clear yet.…
PET scan results - Swelling in Voice box
First post treatment PET Scan results came out today. They say everything looks clear and fine except some swelling in the voice box which might be due to some infection or the radition effect. But they say it must be checked up so They have called me tomorrow for check up. Anybody has this experience? Feeling worried.
Constant fatigue
It's been 9 yrs. for me since I have dealt with radiation and chemo. However since then, I am so fatigued to this day all I want to do is sleep. I can take a dozen naps and still don't feel refreshed. Is this normal? Is anyone else going through this? If so, what can I do about it? It's making me crazy!!!
Cancer is very smart
I had a selective neck dissection and as well as The following parts of mouth all on Right side: BOT, Tonsil, glossopharyngealand the right posterolateral pharyngeal wall, plus unexpectedly (when I was openeded up), a largish amout of cancerous cells outside the area with 0.5 cm of SO's saftey margin around the main tumor…
Swollen and painful lymph nodes 12 weeks after treatment
Hi all. I am 12 weeks post chemoradiation. Diagnosis: scc right tonsil hpv positive cancer with right side neck lymph nodes involvement. Brief history: i had 33 rads with chemo. Treatment ended on july 6th. Right tonsil was removed before xhemo and rads. Felt a significant shrinking in nodes in the first week of rads and…
Neuropathy WITHOUT chemo?
So it started out as Lhermitte's sign, something familiar if not common to a lot of folks on this board. But since then it's progressed to tingling in the hands and feet, primariily on the left side; peripheral neuropathy. I know that's a thing for some who have had chemo. But I didn't have chemo, I had surgery then 30…
The C: Section Chronicles - 9-Oct 2018 Update
Very pleased to announce that my recent visit with the oncologist resulted in a further NED (no evidence of disease). There is however a lump on the side of my neck which she says is probably scar tissue from the radiation, but she will keep an eye on it. Next ENT is in December,with a further oncologist clinic in February…
sore gland
Good morning everyone My husband is 2 wks post treatment--doing very well but has one gland in neck that hurts.Does anyone know if this is normal? Thanks Rita
My Neck Dissection and results; not what my SO and I was expecting.
Hi, I had a selective Neck dissection to remove about 6 or 7 remaining lymph nodes in the right part of the neck (The rest were destroyed by Radiation in Sep to Nov. 2016), as well as The following parts of mouth all on Right side: BOT, Tonsil, glossopharyngealand the right posterolateral pharyngeal wall, plus unexpectedly…
Something swollen, what could it be...
It's always something, isn't it? I have something swollen about the size of a pea right under the right side of my chin. Lymph node? But after a radical neck dissection in December along with BOT cancer surgery, I don't HAVE any lymph nodes left in the area, that I'm aware of. So what, pray tell, could it be? Doesn't hurt,…
Where is the Answer???
The Trifecta-Surgery. Chemotherapy. Radiation. Pick one, pick two, or all three. Identical disease-staging etc. One treatment provider/board recommends one, two or three of the above, and another will recommend something different, most notably not surgery. Why surgery? Delays the known SCC killer-radiation and chemo. Why…
Just an Update
Hello Everyone! I have not been here in quite a long time. I've been busy with work, shcool and being a wife and mom. :) . I just wanted to share the news that our insurance finally approved a CT scan and the results came back ... NED! My husband is a little over one year cancer free! When I was new here, I always liked…
anyone know anything about Phrannie
Hi everyone I have been here reading posts for a couple of months.I have read so many by a wonderful lady named Phrannie.She has been so helpfull to so many.I have noticed she hasnt been on for awhile.I am concerned about her.I have read so many of her postings I feel as if I know her. Thank you Rita
Hondo
Hi everyone. I haven't been here in a few years, I forgot my password and was locked out. Alas I have returned with a new account in hubs name:) I was known as IAmStrong back then, with history of Stage 4 SCC of the tongue, metzed around jugular. So far, 8 yrs cancer free! Came because of latent side effects and good info…
Clinical trials?
Hello, As I posted in another thread, my husband has recurrent squamous cell cancer that has spread to lymph nodes and they cannot operate. He will start chemo Oct 22. I think we should be looking at clinical trials. Anyone have experience with that? Advice? His med oncologist at Kaiser said he will investigate for him,…
Elderly Mother Update
Hello all, Wanted to check in and thank everyone who gave advice, support, encouragement when i asked for information for my 83 yr old mother last week. She has given it thought, talked to different people, and has come to the decision to not seek treatment for her throat cancer. She says that treatment would be too hard…
Sleep apnea
Is sleep apnea a common side effect? I am 13 months out from 35 Rad and 2 Cisplatin treatments. My ENT sent me to a sleep lab for testing. CPAP machine has been recommended. I think I am getting better and not quite ready to admit defeat. If anyone else has had experience with this, I would appreciate any thoughts. Deb
Blisters
So I've been eating normally for about 2 weeks now with the exception of acidic and fried foods because I just can't tolerate them. I'm doing pretty well, taste is definitely not 100%, but it's a huge improvement over where I was just a few weeks ago. Sometimes when I'm eating or shortly afterwards I have little clear…
Pain.
Hello All, Has anyone else developed pain to hand and shoulder joints post Chemo/Rad treatment? I am about 2 yrs out of 7 Rads/36 Chemo Txs. I am a gym rat so I think that the more I lift and exercise the better the pain will be relieved. It is not happening. I am just curious if anyone has this pain. If not I guess I am…
Newbie Head and Neck SCC
New to this group. Looking for information. My husband was diagnosed with SCC in the left tonsil in July 26, 2018. It has metastasized to 2 lymph nodes in his neck. No surgery beyond the surgical bx to locate the primary tumor in the tonsil. Did not obtain clear margins. He began treatment three weeks ago. He will receive…
Neck dissection and Oral surgery: They break Front teeth
Hi all especially phrannie51, My cancer has recurred and I am going to have a salvage surgery on Tuesday September 25 at Stanford. I cannot trust any oncologist. I saw my SO on Friday 9/21, by chance, and he told me my front teeth look weak and 1 or more may break during the surgery. He did not mention it on 8/20/18 when…
Printed resources and books
Hello. I am an SLP and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good book/printed resource that discusses what to expect before/during/after treatment of head and neck cancer. I work with several patients with this diagnosis, and I feel I need more materials to help educate myself, my patients, and my families. I have a…
getting started with treatment
i was diagnosed 01/18/07 with a squamous cell carcinoma tumor in a lymph node on the left side of my neck,,,the primary at that time was not visable,,subsequent scans and biopsies found nothing,had an mri 02/25/07 that showed some atypical activity in upper part of my neck,,,doctor seems to think we may have found the…
Affordable HME supplies for Total Laryngectomy patient
New My father had total Laryngectomy 45 days ago and he is going through very tough situation. He is too weak to do anything physically as well as mentally. As a son, I am helping him as much as I can. He is staying with me right now. I can provide food and shelter but medical expenses out of pocket without insurnace are…
Drinking occasionally after treatment
First off I am not a drinker never have been. But if I’m away I do like to have a few...I am going to Jamaica the end of October and was wondering if I could have a few drinks. My radiologists said maybe a drink a day but he didn’t look to be to happy when he said it. I am fine not drinking if that’s how it has to be just…
Two years of pain
I had a tongue biopsy done two years ago and it still hurts all the time. It was precancerous. I've been to every kind of doctor I can imagine....I am desperate...any ideas?
Low Level Laser Therapy for Mouth Sores
Hello everyone, A local media personality in the Pittsburgh area where I live has HPV SCC and is documenting his journey on his website to raise public awareness and to support the effort to get children vaccinated. He is enrolled in a trial and is getting immuno therapy along with his chemo and radiation therapy. One of…
Alternative Treatments?
I was diagnosed with Oropharyngeal cancer, primary BOT stage 4b HPV+ in August of 2016. I got 35 does of radiation and 8 doses of chemo from late Septermber 2016 to middle of November of that year. On August 2, 2018 based on my PET scan I was told that my cancer has recurred. My radiation onc., found a very good and…
Husband in No Cal told squamous cell cancer in neck inoperable by Kaiser tumor board.advice?
Hello, I am new to this and hope I am not breaking an protocol. But my husband and I received devastating news from the Kaiser tumor board that they will not operate on the tumor that has grown in his neck and wraps around his carotid artery. To complicate matters, he had radiation as a teenager for Hodgkins, which led to…

Head and Neck Cancer

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