Cancer of the Tonsil

tlmac

My 80 year old father was diagnosed last week with T1N0M0 tonsil cancer. He only weighs 142 pounds and is very frail for his age. He lives alone, suffers from early onset dimentia and tends to eat the foods that he likes rather than what is good for him. He hates water. From everything I've read, radiation will be rough. Taste buds and saliva glands will be damaged as well as sores that make eating especially difficult. Everyone described losing significant weight and carrying a water bottle around with them even 2 years post treatment for the dry mouth. Are there any elderly individuals who opted for the surgery only and chose not to take radiation. Is this option even discussed? We go to the ENT this Thursday to schedule surgery and get preliminary test results. All indications are that the cancer is confined to his left tonsil. I'd like to have my questions ready. Thanks for any information.

robh

Well, I hope everyone is doing fine. Just wanted to let you know that I have completed my Chemo RAD at U of C and feel fine. The doctors tell me that it is gone and all I can do is hope it stays away. I cant taste anything and my mouth is very dry but hey I can live with that as long as I can live! I am 2 weeks post and feel great. Still have sores on the tounge and throat but they really dont hurt too much. It was rough at times, real rough but anything is better then dying.
I will reamin on IRESSA for 2 years in hopes that it will kill the fuel that fires the cancer and with any luck it wont come back. Good luck to you all. Please feel free to contact me anytime. My e-mail is robr0001@yahoo.com

Thanks and stay positive.
Robert Hamilton