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After Radiation and Chemo

maryalice
maryalice CSN Member Posts: 1
edited June 2022 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hello, I have just joined the group, five years ago I had squamus cell carcinoma on my tongue and had about 20% of it removed surgically after which the cancer was gone. Five years later I developed a new spot above the original area that was cancerous as well and this time I had 43 radiation treatments and five chemo treaments which were successful in getting rid of the cancer. The treatment were over in June of 2001 and after about a month I was feeling pretty good, my tast buds had come back almost 100% and the dry mouth was tolerable considering the treatment. In September I got a nick on my tongue just above where the tumor was and it has now progressed into a good size split that is quite painful and not healing. I have had pathology tests done as well as a CT scan and there is no cancer but my mouth feels almost as bad as it did when I was undergoing the tratment, talking and eating are difficult unless I take something for the pain. My dcotor's are unable to rectify it at this point and I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar to this. I would appreciate and information that would be a help Thank you. Maryalice
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  • sweter3
    sweter3 CSN Member Posts: 6
    #2
    Maryalice
    Have similar cancer with partial tongue removal etc. About 8 years ago I had Radiation treatments then surgery. My mouth would not heal. The doctor as a last hope tried hyperbaric oxygen treatment. 2 months of oxygen treatment 6 days a week. It worked! My mouth finally healed. The treatments, witch are used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning and wound healing for diabetics, are painless, just boring. You lay in a sealed chamber which is presurized with oxygen. After 30 minutes you are done. You can either sleep or watch television.
    Wish you the best of luck!
    Tom
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  • ajenks4444
    ajenks4444 CSN Member Posts: 1 *
    #3

    It has been over a year since my last proton treatment and I still cannot eat solid food and still have a peg tube. I am doing hyperbaric treatments now and it seems to be helping. It is a slow process, but hopefully it will work. The problem is dead salivary glands and no taste buds, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible to eat normally. The treatment is supposed to push blood into the dead cells and rejuvenate the nerves that were destroyed during radiation treatment.

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