Need Help/Information

Ladylacy
Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in July of 2010. He underwent 35 radiations and 2 chemo treatments of cisplatin. A PET scan in late November 2010 showed all clear. In February 2011 he was having trouble breathing and our radiologist sent him directly to the ENT. He was put in the hospital, had a biopsy and trach. Found out one side of vocal cords paralyzed and the cancer back. In March 2011 he had a complete laryngectomy and throat reconstruction due to radiation damage.

Everything was going good until April 2012 when he went in to have a puncture done for a TEP. The surgeon found a tumor and biopsied it right away. Cancer of the cervical esophagus. No punture was done because the tumor is right where the surgeon could have gone in to do the puncture.

Now he will undergo 33 radiation treatments and 4 chemo treatments of carboplatin once a week. They think this will take care of the tumor since it is so small. We are being told by 4 different doctors that surgery would be high risk and not without major complications. They are backing away from surgery. The cancer hasn't spread (he had a PET/CT Scan) and we are being told that it is a second primary. Oh yes, it is SCC just like in the larynx.

Has anyone been thru this or know anything about this. Any information would be appreciated.

Sharon

Comments

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #2
    Sorry, no help here.
    There are folks on this board who have been successfully re-radiated, and folks who have been successfully treated for recurrent disease. Hopefully they will chime in here. So sorry for your continued fight against the bease. Keep trusting the doctors, and stay strong.

    Deb
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #3
    D Lewis said:

    Sorry, no help here.
    There are folks on this board who have been successfully re-radiated, and folks who have been successfully treated for recurrent disease. Hopefully they will chime in here. So sorry for your continued fight against the bease. Keep trusting the doctors, and stay strong.

    Deb

    just saw you post
    Hi Ladylacy...

    Just saw your post and though I can not help with your post I am sorry your husband has and is going thru so much.

    I just wanted to say (if okay with you) I was going to place you on my nightly prayers and I want you to know I care! :)

    Keep us posted. This board is a great site but I do find sometimes I have a hard time keeping up personally bc I am not used to navigating it ...

    Tim
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #4
    Tim6003 said:

    just saw you post
    Hi Ladylacy...

    Just saw your post and though I can not help with your post I am sorry your husband has and is going thru so much.

    I just wanted to say (if okay with you) I was going to place you on my nightly prayers and I want you to know I care! :)

    Keep us posted. This board is a great site but I do find sometimes I have a hard time keeping up personally bc I am not used to navigating it ...

    Tim

    take a shot at this
    Hi Lacy, don't know where you are or if it would matter to you but Dr. Steven Zeitels, he is the Director of the Mass General Hospital Voice Center, specializes in voice box, vocal chord and patients with no where else to turn who have exhausted traditional treatments. This guy pioneered a surgical laser which just may have application in your case. He is easy to find, at least you could call his office and consult. Just go to the Mass General Hospital website and search for his name and he will come up. You seem to fit his profile of patient?

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