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When and how diognised after radiation

gmon
gmon CSN Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi friends, my mum just finished 6 weeks radiation therapy after she was diagnosed by a T1 sq ca. vocal chord cancer. Durning her last radiation vist the doctor told her that before she calls the ENT specialist in order to check if she is cancer free she has to wait at least 6 weeks to make sure that the radiation did fine. Is this normal? Was it the same for you people who went through this therapy? How where you diognised that you where cancer free after the radiation? Thanks for your kind support. Regards and good luck to all Godfrey
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  • apolinar
    apolinar CSN Member Posts: 4
    #2
    hi Godfrey, I went through 6 weeks of radiation three years ago as well as surgery in which they removed all lymph nodes in my neck. My cancer was in my voice box and most likely caused by smoking, think of it, after almost 50 years of smoking it finaly got me. The doctor called it SQUIMUS cancer, and it was in my voice box. they were able to save half of my voice box so I still have a voice rather raspy, but at least I dont have to wear any kind of aid to help me talk. You get to know alot of folks with cancer problems during radiation, and you get to see alot of different solutions. but as far as the being cancer free my surgeon told me that if I could stay one year with out any problems I would be okay. And mt ENT doctor told me that she feels that four years is her opinion. You have to remember that each cancer is different. Good luck to your mom.
    PS. If you folks are religous turn too your faith it will really help.
    POLO
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  • grannyfranny
    grannyfranny CSN Member Posts: 42
    #3
    Godfrey, I had a different kind of cancer from your mother's, but some things are similar. I was told that I couldn't be tested right after finishing radiation because the radiation left in my body would throw the test off. So I had a test about 9 or 10 weeks later, and it didn't find any cancerous or otherwise abnormal cells. That was good enough for me to celebrate! It doesn't prove 100% that I'll never have cancer come back, but it's a very good sign. I will continue having different tests at intervals - some to check cells to see if they are cancerous, some (scans) to look for spots or masses that shouldn't be there. And I will be examined by the oncologist, too. The longer I go without signs of cancer, the better my chances of never getting it again.

    I don't know if it will help or not, but there is a lot of cancer information that you can get by clicking on "Cancer Information" at the top of this screen. There's even something to help people figure out what questions to ask their doctors.

    By now, it's about time for your mother's test - good luck to her, and to you, too!

    Fran
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