Brachytherapy for base of tongue cancer

buellman91

austinporsche said:

Brachy Therapy
I first presented in 1994 with squamous of the left tonsil. I went through 3 rounds of chemo, a radical neck dissection with a pec flap, and 7.5 weeks of twice a day radiation with boost the last 3.5 weeks. Recovery was pretty tough from all of this treatment. It took about a year and 50 hyperbaric treatments to get rid of osteoradionecrosis. I then functioned pretty well for the next 18 years. About 18 months ago I found another tiny tumor on my right tonsil that was removed completely by the biopsy. I know this because they took out tonsil later and found no cancer. Finnally, about a year ago I found another tumor at the bottom of the movable part of the tonque. It was 1.5 cm long and .5 cm around by the time they did surgery. Unfortunately, post surgery I had bad margins. They did a second surgery and again bad margins. I then underwent Brachy Therapy with 15 tubes implanted for one week with twice per day treatment of high dose for 4 days. I had a tracheosemy which was a bear and ofcourse ate with a tube for about a week after before moving to soups. I am now about 9 months after the brachy therapy. While I can taste, I have a very dry mouth and have considerable pain almost all the time. It is managed with 600mg motrin 4 times a day and 3-4 vicodin which makes it somewhat difficult to function. I am now trying some new pain meds to try and solve the pain issue. With a little help from God I will survive another 18 years from this cancer. Now my third primary tumor. In my opinion the treatment istelf is not bad but the chroic pain afterward, which not everyone has, is more difficult to deal with. Having said that, I would do it again to get rid of a cancer that will most definately kill you if you don't attack it aggressively. Good luck.

Managing the pain
AustinPorsche, I have had SCC twice with rads both time and long term pain issues both times. I finished tx in April of this year.I am in a pain management clinic that has perscribed fentanyl in three applications. I have a fentenyl patch, take a Gabapentin and a new drug called Subsys for "breakout pain". Just thought I would give you an option as I am now very comfortable and can function well

RAZ001

dsantor said:

hi joanna-- when you go
hi joanna-- when you go through the treatment I had you are radioactive as long as the implants are in, which in my case was for 3 days (24hrs a day) so the nurses can only be around you for a very short period of time daily. you have to learn to suction the (pardon the bluntness) phlegm out of your lungs and throat. you cannot talk so you have to write everything down,and I had quite the notebook when I got home. the chemo I received was Cisplatin and I had the IMRT radiation twice a day for 3 weeks before the surgery. I really don't know what stage I am or was because I really didn't want to know. Traveling really does suck as I am 3 hrs away from NYC and have to take the train down every time I go - but it really isn't that bad once you get used to it!! Best of luck to your mother. I am sendin healing prayers for her.

Brachytherapy BOT

Hi Dsantor!  I stumbled across your posting by accident when I was googling brachytherapy for BOT.  I have just been dx with a base of tongue tumor and was offered the choice of IMRT with "mild chemo" or HDR brachytherapy and I was just wondering how you feel about brachytherapy 4 years out and how it has impacted your swallowing?  This will be my second time going thro radiation.  The first time was for tonsil cancer with IMRT in 2007.  Thanks!