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Hyperbaric therapy treatment
Hi there, Its been a very long time since I was in here last. I had cancer, base of tongue back in mid 2014. Was absolutely terrified. Got very sick for a good year and a half. Had a stomach tube put into my stomach and couldn't swallow food by the 5th week of 6 radiation treatment. Anyway, 4 years on. Doing well except a…
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3 years out update
My husband (stage 1 tongue cancer) had his 3 year check up with his head and neck surgeon this morning. Got the all clear once again, and the doctor told my husband that he has declared his initial cancer cured. Praise hands! He still wants to see my husband once a year for the next 2 years (next appt is Sept 9, 2019), and…
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Depression after finishing treatment
Just wondering if anyone has experienced a bout of continuing depression following the completion of treatment. I'm guessing this is fairly common, but if you anything you'd like to share, I'd be happy to hear it. My husband finished treatment about 8 months ago and while he feels better physically, he still feels…
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Tonge cancer
On September 7th, 2018. Had tonge surgery. They cut half of my of my tonge on the right side. And got reconstructed. Now, I am doing some exercise. The pathologist tells that will work, and eventually I will be able to tallk again, clearly. But, I had the feeling that will never happened and I will be talking funny for…
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Need Advice for Elderly Mother
Hello all. i'm searching for information/advice/experience/thoughts as i look for ways to help my mother with her diagnosis. She is 83 yrs old and was told 2 weeks ago that she has throat cancer. We do not yet know if it's spread. We do know that she is not a surgical candidate. It has been recommended that she have…
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BOT Squamous Cell Carcinoma w/3 lymph nodes: Week by Week
Greetings, I've never posted on this site, but I've read it often over the past several months as I've gone through cancer treatment. It's been so helpful. I can't thank everyone enough. I know the following is long, but this is the type of information I was looking for when I was first diagnosed. I found it on this site…
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Lhermitte's Sign
After meeting with my radiation oncologist today, he enlightened me on the numbness and tingling down both arms, as well as the occipital neuralgia I had been experiencing over the last 3 weeks. It is subsiding. He told me that it was radiation induced Lhermitte's sign. A brief autoimmune syndrome precipitated by radiation…
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Good Northern California oncologists?
Hi, it is Mary, wife of head and neck cancer patient. The answers I received to my first inquiry were so helpful. We are still reeling and trying to get our balance after the tumor board at Kaiser deemed his cancer inoperable, and his childhood radiation may rule out a full course. Has anyone had really good radiation or…
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Can't get Dental Implants Need Denture Solution
I had a complete maxillectomy to remove a plasmacytoma in my left maxillary sinus. They removed the roof of my mouth and reconstructed using my fibula and rib bone. I completed radiation treatments which make post radiation surgery risky. I have no bone in the top of my mouth that will support dental implants. They had to…
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Possible dentures after hbot ???
Hi there , Been notifiied by my maxillo surgeon that I will need to get hbo. Just waiting on next step. He has accessed all my cancer records and records from my dentist. Looking through the dosage of radiation I recieved which he said was high dosage of 75 , I would need hbo so he can extract 2 back teeth. 30 visits of…
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Scope appt over!
Hi everyone. Just had my appt with my ENT specialist today. He scoped me and said thier still is one spot where my tumor was that he will check again in a month. He said it's either swollen tissue from radiation or maybe might still be cancer. At that time he said if spot is still there he might do a biopsy. I'm not going…
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Have a Selective Neck diseection on September 25. Appreciate INFO.
Hi, I have a Selective Neck dissection on the right sde of my neck for recuurence of my cancer, and since besides biopsies I have never had an operation in my life I will highly appreciate sharing experinces from those who have had any sort of Neck dissection before. Tp me Neck disesection is almost like end of life. Will…
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High creatinine after treatment finished
I finished treatment 9 weeks ago (35 rad, 2 chemo-cisplatin). I didn't get the 3rd chemo due to the high creatinine. My creatinine was last measured at 1.92 and has been around that level since treatment ended. Has anyone had high creatinine this long after treatment ended and did it ever get better? If it got better, how…
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Important question recurrent cancer & surgery
Hi all, I have a selective neck dissection for my recurrent H & N Cancer BOT HPV+. My original cancer was stage 4.2 b T3. I read a few artilces on line by reputable sources that when the T size is T3 or higfher and stage is 4a or higher Neck dissection (also called salvage surgery) is the best way to "Manage" The cancer…
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Lhermitte's sign?
This is a shot in the dark, but... Over the past few weeks I've been getting these weird "electric" sensations near the base of my spine, thought it was a pinched nerve, Googling aroundit sounds like Lhermitte's sign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhermitte's_sign In reading about it, it can be a delayed onset result of…
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Is triple biopsy tough?
Just been told I have a large mass on my base tongu. having a triple biopsy done 9/20. He’s ordering an Awake Fiberoptic Intebation for it. Anyone have any info on this? I’m new to this forum, first post. Thanks, Bill
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Recurrence of Base of tongue Cancer
Hello My Radiation Oncologist called me today and told me that my cancer has recurred based on result of PET CT scan I had yesterday. He asked me to sit tight, and he is putting a lot of efforts trying to reach a head and neck surgeon that he tursts for a biopsy. All of these Docs are in Stanford. He also told me my…
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PET scan results today
I received my results today from the PET scan, CLEAR OF CANCER!!! Best three words I have ever heard. Been a long road but I can now breath and I want to thank all of you for getting me through all this. I swear this site was a life saver. I healed fine eating, swallowing well, all taste has returned and no pain other the…
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Lymphedema v.s recurrence?
Hello everyone, Hope everyone is healthy and well. So my dad has Nasophangeal carcinoma with lymph nodes involvmenet on both sides of the neck (more so on the right side). So far, two of his scans came out clear ever since finishing treatment (which he finished exactly a year ago. Last scan done was three months ago).…
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What is base of tongue throat cancer death like and what i should do to help
My father got base of tongue tumor removed 2 years ago. Got 35 radioation and this year 12 chemo and 2 immunotherapy. End of july doctor said maybe 3 months left to leave. Now he takes 10/500mg xeloda palliative chemo. His pain is getting worse and lips swelling. What should i do to help and how the death would be like ?…
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jawbone replacement surgery
I am scheduled for jawbone replacement in 6 days. I have osteoradionecrosis from intensive radiation 10 yrs ago. Has anyone had this operation where they take out a part of the jawbone and replace it with bone from the fibula (leg)? If so how did it go? How are you now? Do you know of any other options available? The…
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Pet Scan Completed!!!
To all my H & N friends: A quick update regarding my pet/ct scan. I took it today and got through it!! I'm so happy about it. The imaging facility was great. What a major difference than the last one I went to. The techs were extremely knowledgeable and they even had thier own doctors overseeing the tests. Results should…
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bad patient- what is success of treatment
Tonsil Cancer - III/IV -my family member is a horrible patient, he didn't show to appts or kept everyone in dark about appointemtns or diagnoiss or treatments. he may have Traumatic Brain Injury (unrelated) he had regimee of chemo and radiation. tumor seems to have gone away.other probs exist, especially weight won't go…
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Saliva back
One year post radiation of pure hell and I just got saliva back. Doctor said it wouldn't happen. I did have faith and stuck with it. Taste not back but I am eating and I feel it coming. Those of you in similar situations keep the faith and pray. You have nothing to lose. Best wishes to all and good luck.
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Abscess in Neck
My husband has a neck abscess. He kept complaining about bad tasting stuff being secreted out of his upper jaw/cheekbone. Then his temperature started going up; his incision and drain site looked red and puffy. I wasn't taking chances, so took pictures of his neck and sent by text to the doctor's assistant. They had us…
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False positive PET scan?
Anyone havee sai experience with a false positive PET scan? Had surgery for BOT cancer right side in December, followed up with 30 rad treatments ending in March. Went for a follow-up PET scan last week and rad onc called to say something ("at the low end of what we consider worrisome") basicallh in the exact same spot as…
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just finished week #4 of 7
Have right tonsil cancer with 4 lynph nodes same side level 1 &2. Stage was 4a under old staging and now stage 1 under the new staging for my HPV positive. Things are going very well so far. The primary was the tonsil and it basically melted away after the fist 6 rads. The tonsil filled the whole right side of my throat…
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very slow taste bud returns
I am 10 weeks post treatment and feeling good except for my taste buds not really coming back. I can discern tastes on nearly all foods but the taste remains awful, to the point I'm not really eating solid foods. I drink 2 shakes a day but am really getting sick of them as well. I have read and re-read the other taste bud…
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Pet/CT scan FEAR
Hi H&N members: We'll i'm still plugging away. Treatment over with and my ENT did scope me. He found an elevated tissue where my tumor was on base of my tongue. He said it is still the cancer or just swollen tissue from radiation. So I have to have a pet CT scan. I have Severe claustrophobia and anxiety. I took the test…
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mouth blisters after any "food"
my hubby's mouth blisters along the roof and alongside his upper gums (between gums and cheek) after he tries to "eat" anything such as ensure, shakes, etc. water and coffee (with creamer) doesn't do this (so far). He thought it was just part of the process so he hadn't mentioned it to the doc until today. they had never…