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Head and Neck Cancer

Lurk no more
Hi - it is unfortunate to have to meet you all this way - I would it rather have been on the street or in a wonderful restaurant somewhere. I have been lurking around reading many words of wisdom for a few weeks, trying different suggestions, reading great blogs (thank you Surfer). My husband has just finished…
3 Year Anniversary
Today is three years since the end of treatment. Interestingly enough, I didn't realize it until my wife brought me my coffee in the mug commemorating it! I guess it's an indication of how far I've come and adapted to the "new normal". Things are good. I have my good days and not so good days but all things considered, I'm…
Member Meet Up
SonjaK and I met at the Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Reception at our local medical center. We met one man who is an 11 year survivor, heard a speech from a 4 year veteran, and listened to a band whose lead singer got his singing voice back 18 months after finishing his treatment. There was certainly lots of…
This Tongue!!
Since my tongue surgery (tumor removal) I think everything is going ok. I'm eating more things and even took some pills with water the last two day. The only problem I'm having right now is that because of the way my tongue is now, it's misaligned so it's driving me crazy. I can't stop sucking on the right side or biting…
Your lungs can smell odors very much like your nose.
This is more directed to the ones with Having a Laryngectomy, referred to as Larys. As a neck breather we really can't smell, and we can't hold our breath. We also have to swallow much different because we have no larynx where all the muscles that help you swallow hook to. Your lungs can smell odors very much like your…
Lucky to be alive, but still the tears
I've been hesitating to post this because I know many have suffered far more than I am or have suffered, but I don't know where else to turn right now.... I have to go back to MDA to discuss pathology results and have my post op visits. I see they have set an appt with the oncologist. I'm terrified of chemo. I'm terrified…
Sometimes
Sometimes you hear exactly what you need to hear, from out of nowhere. I was leaving Chemo today and was getting on the elevator on the chemo floor when a nice older woman (I'm 67 so....) got on after me. I was feeling pretty down in the dumps after the failure of the PD-1, all the rounds of chemo, all the rads, all the…
Update
Recovering from fall down basememt steps. 6 breaks pelvis and spine , rehab then hospital for double pnemonia. Have had 24/7 at home care . Cutting back now . Walking again. A lot to handle
New Tongue Cancer Patient Here
Hello all, I was diagnosed with SCC on February 23, 2016. One time light smoker, having quit over 25 years ago. No HPV. Checked myself into Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, immediately, where I had surgery and neck dissection. One node out of 22 showed cancer. I have recovered well from surgery with a…
Post Throat Surgery (Partial Laryngectomy) Recovery
Hi All, I am a visitor from the kidney cancer forum. I posted another thread here about my brother's options for surgery to remove a tumor from his throat. He had his surgery last week, a partial laryngectomy, and he is doing relatively well. I have read the superthread. He lives with a roommate in a rural part of Vermont.…
Hello
Hello I was just diagnosed with a mass on the right side of my throat under my tonsil. He actually said it looks like two of them that are touching. I am so scared. I am due for biopsy on Thursday. I'm 37 and I use to smoke years ago but I have been vaping for the last 4 years which obviously is not any better. I guess I…
more update and question
I am doing a lot better, getting strength back and becoming more active. My neck is still numb from the dissection, scar still very visable. Next ENT appointment on May 10. Have been having a lot of issues with stomach which I suspect are related to the hole they carved into me for the peg tube which has been out about 3…
Another scan on Monday- UPDATE- CLEAR!!
UPDATE- scan is clear! So happy. Appt with the ENT for follow up on Monday. Thank you for the good thoughts. This will be the second scan since my husband completed treatment for tongue cancer in January. He got the NED at his first scan on February 23rd. My husband is feeling great. Just dealing with limited saliva,…
Newbie..SCC of nasal cavity
Hello to all.. New to this site. Glad I found this site. I have been diagnosed with Stage 3.. SCC of the nasal cavity with invasion into the ethmoid sinus. Tumor size of a large lemon/tennis ball. Been told this is a rare cancer. Does anyone know anything about this type of cancer? Thanks so much!
Gall bladder is outta here! and the PEG soon to follow
This should be a snap after the cancer treatment. My husband has been having some pretty significant gall bladder attacks and it's interfering with his ability to eat and put weight back on....so it's coming out. Surgery will be laparoscopic, same day discharge. The hardest part will be getting him to take the sufficient…
Tongue discomfort
Hi all, Not sure if anbody remembers me but I was around here three years ago with a white patch on the right side of my tongue. Turned out to be leukoplakia with moderate dysplasia (pre-cancer basically) I had the patch excised with laer ablation and was moitored closely for any further issues. July 2015 I was discharged…
1/2 way there
I read these boards often, but rarely comment as I am going through what most are asking or commenting about. Today is day 20 of 35 rads and round 6 of 7 erbitux treatments. So far, I have begun losing taste, had some issues with rash due to erbitux, and some raw skin issues around neck. I did have a peg put in just in…
It's a small thing - UPDATE
thanks all for your thoughts and prayers. The MOHS surgery was much simpler than the first time - no skin graft required. I sure hope this is the end of basal cell carcinoma on my nose though. I have a small nose and if they have to keep taking pieces of it there won't be much left! As the doctor was putting the stitches…
Forum glitch?
Hey everyone! I have been so busy with work, that I jumped online this morning to catch up on my CSN family. I've noticed that in almost all of the threads, the comment areas on certain people are blank. Not sure if there is some kind of glitch or is it just my old computer? There will be a thread with several replies, but…
7 years out
Around this time in 2009 I started chemo and radiation for stage 3 laryngeal cancer. 7 weeks of IMRT rads and 3 high dose cisplatin infusions. Although I suffered some bad side affects managed to get the whole thing done as scheduled. Tha chemo caused some kidny damage which has not changed over the years and there are no…
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) of the Head and Neck Info
I've seen many postings asking for info about SCC. I've been researching the subject for about 3 years now (since my original diagnosis). I have created a personal web page linked to the American Cancer Society home page that contains a lot of helpful web links on this subject at:…
Your input is greatly appreciated
Recent diagnosis and surgery---your input and help appreciated. It is now 2/22/16 and 14 days post robotic surgery. After approx eight months of mentioning a hard lump in my upper neck, I was finally advised by my Dr to have a CScan.I had no pain and was in good health for a man of 63yrs old. I was diagnosed with Squamous…
Mask and claustiphobic
Finally some treatment for my mom's fast growing eye cancer. They will radiate her eye for 20-25 days. She goes for her mask mold on the 28th. The problem is, she is off the chart claustiphobic. The Rad Oncologist gave her Valium but I still think she will freak out. To give you an idea of the excess phobic she has: She…
Returning to work after treatment
i know that every situation is different,as are the types of job you all have/had, but I was wondering how long before you returned to work after your treatments ended. My husband's last treatment was early September and he is going to attempt to return to work tomorrow and I am worried that he's not physically ready for…
Erbitux
Hi everyone, I have just joined recently. I have stage IV SCC (Supragalottic). T2N2M0. I've been hoarse since September and hoping my voice comes back once the tumor begins to shrink. I am preparing for treatment with 35 rads beginning the first week of January. My oncologist wants to implement cisplatin or erbitux in…
Recovery from radiation/chemo
I finished 33 radiation treatments and chemo. five weeks ago. I am still on liquids and my mouth is sore although not as bad as it was. I am wondering about when I would enjoy eating again. You are really a social outcast when you don't eat and everything smells so good. Did you feel great when you could eat again?
Radiation coming soon
Hello. I am new to this site. My name is Jess, I am 27, and a week before I turned 26, I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. I underwent my first surgery on May 8th, 2014. I was declared cancer free in September. In December, I began having pain on my tongue again and after the holidays, I went trough…
Getting a Port
So my mom has been told by her doctor and all the nurses at the Yale Hospital that she needs a port. She has roaming veins and they keep sticking her multiple times to even find a vein for her weekly blood tests and again for her chemo treatments. They were concerned because she is having trouble eating and are worried she…
Treatment Plans
Question for people. My mom and I went to her appointment two weeks ago and got things set up for her. They told us she would be going through 30 treatments with 7 chemo treatments which seemed pretty normal. They listed the amount of radiation as 60 gray to her neck and 54 to some other surrounding areas which all seemed…
Overwhelmed
My husband was diagnosed in November of stage 2 squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. After scans and 3 doctors weighing in it was decided that radiation only was needed and by the time prep was done radiation started first of the year. I was so proud of my husband, he tolerated radiation much better than most and came…

Head and Neck Cancer

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